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BUNYAN'S AWAKENING WORKS. 



THE 



GREATNESS OE THE SOUL: 



JigtjB from %i\\\ 



THE RESUEEECTION OF THE DEAD. 



y 



BY JOHN BUNYAN, 



AUTHOR OF THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS, AND THE HOLT WAR. 

< 9 9 « » 

PHILADELPHIA: 
AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 

118 ARCH STREET. 

185 0. 



Sid 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1850, by the 

American Baptist Publication Society, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, 
in and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 



// 



INTRODUCTION. 



John Bunyan is preeminently a man of the people. 
He sprang from, represents, and speaks to, the masses; 
though destined by his writings to become the teacher of 
nobles and kings, and nowhere more than in this free land, 
where every man is at once a citizen and a sovereign. Here, 
even more than elsewhere, will the poor sympathize with his 
origin, and the rich with his wrongs, the honest with his 
upright spirit, and the humane with his long unjust impris- 
onment, the intelligent with the attractions of his genius, 
and the pious with the deep struggles of his evangelical ex- 
perience. No class can doubt his entire sincerity. None 
can deny hir benevolent spirit. All must feel his peculiar 
and inimitable power. 

1 1 the notices prefixed to his Pilgrim's Progress and the 

I iy War, volumes previously issued by our Society, perhaps 

__„agh has been said on the leading incidents of his Life. 

The present Introduction will therefore be limited to an 

outline of his character as a Preacher, and as a Writer. 

As a Preacher, probably Bunyan has had few superiors. 
It is needless to speak of the qualities which made him popu- 
lar. The effects are sufficient. However loudly Church and 
State officials might " open upon him/' scholars marvelled 
at his wisdom, and " the common people heard him gladly." 
Besides the " hundreds from all parts" that flocked to his 
preaching, in Bedford and other shires, Dr. Southey tells 
us his reputation was so great in London, " that if a day's 

& 



11 INTRODUCTION. 

notice were given, the meeting-house in Southwark, at which 
he generally preached, would not contain half the people." 
"I have seen (says an eye witness) "by my computation 
about twelve hundred persons to hear him at a morning 
lecture, on a working day, in dark winter time." "I also 
computed about three thousand that came to hear him at a 
town's-end meeting house; so that half were fain to go back 
again for want of room; and then himself was fain at a back 
door to be pulled almost over people, to get up stairs to the 
pulpit. " The learned and pious Dr. Owen, that giant of 
evangelical theology, is reported to have said to Charles II. 
(who rallied him for " going to hear an illiterate Tinker 
prate,") "Please your Majesty, could I possess that Tinker's 
abilities for preaching, I would gladly relinquish all my 
learning." Charles Doe, with affectionate admiration, calls 
him, "Our great Grospel Preacher," — "the Champion of 
our Age." 

Yet, Dr. Southey has said, " Had it not been for the en- 
couragement Bunyan received from the Baptists, he might 
have lived and died a Tinker." Be this as it may, Baptists 
will know how to prize such a concession — not to their su- 
perior wisdom — but to the wisdom of Christ in the free and 
scriptural Constitution of their churches. And although as a 
body, they have little cause for gratitude for the manner in 
which they are treated by Robert Philip in his " Life and 
Times of Bunyan," they may thank him for a like acknow- 
ledgment. "Both the world and the Church (he says) are 
indebted to the Baptists for the ministry of John Bunyan." 
(p. 312.) "Any orthodox Congregational or Presbyterian 
Church of that day would have treated him with equal ten- 
derness. So would pious Episcopalians, had they known 
him as well as the 'Baptists did. I much doubt, however, 
if any other orthodox body would have followed up his wel- 
come into their fellowship, by calling him out to the minis- 
try." (p. 180.) If this be so, that single fact is sufficient 



INTRODUCTION. Hi 

to justify our denominational existence. But we quote it 
here, for another end. Are not Baptists then specially 
bound to perpetuate and spread his Practical Works — the 
embalmed spirit of such a Preacher — wherever they exist ? 
Will they not be responsible, if being dead, Bunyan does not 
still speak by these admirable productions ? productions 
whose " power and pathos eclipse all learning, and throw 
every thing into the shade, but the wisdom which winneth 
souls." 

For as Bunyan spoke, so he wrote. All his books were 
written, as it were, out of his own heart, and directed to the 
hearts of his fellow men. And that heart of his, so long 
and sorely tried, was in alliance with an intellect of wonder- 
ful power, and an imagination no less wonderful. And " the 
laws of his intellectual being blended so with its spiritual 
aspirations and responsibilities, that his head can never be 
analyzed apart from his heart." Then too, Bunyan, with 
all his hearty homeliness, had a healthy, and indeed, ex- 
quisite taste. He loved the true, the pure, the graceful, the 
noble, the beautiful and the sublime. Wit and humor (as 
in Sir Thomas More) at times gleam forth amidst the 
gravity, the solemn earnestness, the subduing tenderness of 
his sentiments and style. His roughness is not rudeness. 
His occasional coarseness is less from ignorance than choice. 
He knew when he transgressed the laws of taste ; but he 
acted at such times in obedience to a higher law. His 
sympathy with the poor and ignorant and erring, was by 
the grace of Grod experimental and heartfelt ; and he spoke 
to them, and wrote for them, in the style which they could 
understand and feel, because he devoutly longed to do them 
good. His words were " picked and packed," as he says ; 
but it was for the use of the popular mind. There are in- 
numerable passages, however, to prove what he modestly 
affirms, that he " could have stept into a higher style." 
That he did not, considering whom he addressed, and for 



IV INTRODUCTION. 

what end, is his everlasting praise. No man of sense would 
wish the diction of Bunyan essentially different from what it 
is — " a well of pure old English undented." 

As a Writer, Bunyan is chiefly known by his Pilgrim's 
Progress and the Holy War. These Allegories have given 
their Author a place among the English Classics. Though 
slowly recognized as such in the world of letters, his position 
is now sure. To say nothing of others, the unanimous 
verdict of a critical jury composed of such men as Addison, 
Swift, Lord Karnes, Dr. Johnson, Cowper, Coleridge, Scott, 
Byron, Southey, Montgomery, Mackintosh and Macaulay, 
men differing so widely in other things, can never be set 
aside. Nor are American critics, from Dr. Franklin to Dr. 
Cheever, a whit behind their transatlantic brethren in their 
appreciation of Bunyan. In original creative genius, the 
unlettered Tinker of Elstow, the humble Baptist Pastor of 
Bedford, is ranked with Milton and Shakespeare. His 
name is enrolled among 



the few, the immortal names 



That were not born to die." 

In his own walk of literature, he is pronounced without a 
rival. He has succeeded where all others have failed. He 
has left all competition hopeless. If Milton is the prince of 
poets, Bunyan is the prince of dreamers — and his dreams 
are truly " of the stuff that life is made of" — and bright 
with the lustre of a better world. 

It is not, however, the design of this Introduction to speak 
of Bunyan as the Master of Religious Allegory. It is to 
call attention rather to his other writings — writings less 
widely known, but in which the same splendid powers, 
sanctified by Divine Grace, are employed in a more direct, 
and, therefore, more eloquent manner, to unfold and enforce 
the Gospel of Christ. And we have spoken of his inimita- 
ble Allegories chiefly for the sake of the Practical Works 



INTRODUCTION. V 

winch are herewith presented to the public, in a form (to 
say the least) more readable than in any previous edition. 
And what inference is more natural or rational than this — 
that the man whom Grod so richly endowed to write the 
Pilgrim's Progress and the Holy War, " in allegory so per- 
fect as to hide itself, like light, while revealing through its 
colorless and undistorting medium all beside," might be 
expected to develope the same great principles, and the 
same superior qualities of mind, in other works to which he 
applied himself as a faithful minister of Jesus Christ. 

These Practical Works will show that Bunyan is master 
of more arts than Allegory. He is equally master of 
Analysis, of Argument, of Illustration, of Appeal. Though 
too fond of typical interpretation, he is often very happy in 
Exposition. Though too minute and multifarious in his 
Divisions, he is generally very judicious in their Arrange- 
ment. His Observation is keen ; his experimental Insight 
is profound. His anticipation of objections is natural, and 
his answers just and forcible. His Descriptions are often 
perfect pictures. His Apostrophes are frequent and ani- 
mated. His Dialogues, in which he abounds, are as life-like 
as if taken from men's lips. His Applications are by turns, 
terrible and tender, searching and consoling. If below Char- 
nock in dignity, he is his equal in depth and discernment. 
If less systematic and learned than Owen, he is his rival in 
the knowledge of the heart, and of the devices of Satan, 
as well in the skilful use of the gospel as a divine relief. If 
at all inferior in fire and vehemence to Baxter, he is more 
plain, more picturesque, more evangelical, more startlingly 
or subduingly eloquent. If less tender than Flavel, he has 
superior originality, variety and strength. In fact, he unites 
in a remarkable degree the best qualities of all his celebrated 
contemporaries, and in some qualities probably excels them. 
His general style, though never polished, and,*at times, 
descending to coarseness, is generally clear and pure ; and 

1* 



VI INTRODUCTION. 

remarkable for its vernacular words and idioms, penetrating 
the popular ear and heart beyond almost any other writer. 

Men who have excelled in the pulpit have often failed 
with the pen. This was the case with Whitfield. But it 
was not so with Bunyan. Let any man compare the written 
discourses of these two distinguished men, and while ad- 
miring the general harmony of their views and spirit, he 
must be struck with their difference in mere mental power. 
In originality, discrimination, point, pungency, imagination, 
beauty and sublimity, Bunyan is the superior. Only in 
pathos is he rivalled by Whitfield. 

While necessarily differing from Mr. Byland in some parts 
of the above estimate of Bunyan, we fully agree with him in 
the following opinion, expressed more than sixty years ago. 
" As a popular practical writer, on a great variety of im- 
portant subjects for the use of the bulk of common Christians, 
I will dare to afiirm that he has few equals in the Christian 
world. I am persuaded there never has been a writer in 
the English language whose works have spread so wide, and 
have been read by so many millions of people, as Mr. Bun- 
yan' s." Since then, in what language known to civilized 
man, have they not in part been translated ? 

One of the most wonderful things in the history of this 
wonderful man is, that notwithstanding his want of early 
education ; his conversion from a course of great profane- 
ness ; his daily itinerant labors at one period ; his imprison- 
ment for twelve years together in Bedford jail, where he was 
obliged to support himself and family by tagging laces; and 
the constant demands for his preaching both in city and 
country after he came out; he was yet one of the most fruit- 
ful authors of his time. Not less than sixty pieces of his 
composition appear in the Catalogue of his friend Charles 
Doe, published soon after Bunyan' s death. Even this is 
incomplete, for it does not include his Saint's Privilege, 
Pastoral Letters and Dying Sayings, which raise the num- 



INTRODUCTION. Vll 

ber to sixty-six. This is about two on an average for every 
year of his ministerial life. And although a few of them 
are but short poems and tracts, most of them are elaborate 
treatises, on which Bunyan laid out the full strength of his 
mind and soul. 

Bunyan' s Complete "Works, if printed in the same style as 
those of Andrew Fuller, issued by our Society, would proba- 
bly fall little, if any, short of three thousand large octavo 
pages. Only about one-half have ever been re-printed in 
this country, in the most perfect edition, and the selection 
of those published is, in some cases, by no means creditable 
to the knowledge or judgment of the publisher. 

Yet the quality of the whole is quite as remarkable as the 
quantity. His rich experience, his ready memory, his clear 
quick conscience, his rare gifts of genius, taste and imagina- 
tion, impart a novelty, variety, beauty, freshness and force 
of illustration peculiarly his own. On the most common 
themes he is seldom common-place. How could he be 
indeed, and yet be John Bunyan ? " It is yet to be shown 
(says the author of the Chronological Critique) how, and 
why, and when he did so much, and did it so well." 

The writings of Bunyan (excluding all apocryphal pieces, 
and including all that fairly belongs to him), we have already 
said amount to sixty-six. They may be conveniently classed 
for our present purpose under six heads — Allegorical, 
Poetical, Typical, Doctrinal (including his Catechetical and 
Controversial pieces) Biographical and Practical. Thus 
classed, about one-half of them come under the last of these 
heads, and of these the present series will be composed. The 
practical element is indeed largely infused into all the rest. 
His warmest controversies glow with a divine unction. Even 
his occasional errors, show his paramount endeavor to keep 
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Let him have 
this praise, even with his error on Church Communion. 

It is well known that several pieces which go under the 



Vlll INTRODUCTION. 

name of Bunyan, such as the " Pilgrim's Progress, Part 
Third;" "The World to Come;" " Heart's Ease in Heart 
Trouble/' &c, are not his. They are not found in any good 
edition of his Works. But there is one piece, found in 
almost all editions, which is yet doubtful. As Critics, as 
Christians, and as Baptists, we should be glad to find clear 
testimony that it is Bunyan' s. It is, indeed, quoted and 
praised as his by Dr. Southey, by Alexander Philip, and by 
Hobert Philip; though the latter, with singular inconsistency, 
denies it to be Bunyan's, and in the next chapter quotes it 
as his, with the highest commendation. If Bunyan really 
wrote it, however, he must not only have greatly extended 
his reading, and polished his style, but also essentially 
changed his views of Open Communion in the latter part of 
his life. This does not seem at first sight probable, after he 
had twice written in defence of them ; though he lived four- 
teen years after his last defence appeared, and may have dis- 
covered his error.* 

And here seems the proper place to notice the great in- 
justice done to the Baptists on this subject, by Mr. Robert 
Philip, throughout his " Life and Times of Bunyan," and 
his " Chronological Critique." He uniformly speaks of 
them as actuated by " bigotry," and as "sprinkling" (not 
to say "immersing") other Christians "with the bitter 
waters of Close Communion." All this is in very bad taste, 
to say nothing of its temper. But the point of most im- 
portance is this. It leads Mr. Philip to say what is not true 
in fact, when the facts were before his eyes. Thus he quotes 
(C. C. p. 24.) Bunyan's noble and touching language pre- 



* Precisely such a change, it is well known, took place in the views of the excellent 
Isaac Backus, the candid and discriminating author of the Church History of New 
England. If any one would see this subject of Communion set in the clearest light, 
let him read " Curtis on Communion," a fundamental and admirable work, just 
issued, by the American Baptist Publication Society, alike fitted to satisfy, improve 
and delight the inquiring Christian. 



INTRODUCTION. IX 

fixed to his Confession of Faith (1672) : " I have not 
hitherto been so sordid as to stand to a doctrine, right or 
wrong ; much less when so weighty an argument as above 
eleven years' imprisonment is continually dogging me to 
weigh and pause (poise ?) and poise again, the grounds and 
foundations of those principles for which I have thus suf- 
fered. But having not only at my trial asserted them, but 
also since, even all this tedious tract of time, in cool blood, 
a thousand times, by the word of God, examined them, and 
found them good, I cannot, I dare not now revolt, or deny 
the same, on pain of eternal damnation." Mr-. Philip adds, 
" This, solemn as it is, refers to his Open Communion prin- 
ciples as well as to his Creed." It is sufficient to say in 
reply, that Bunyan himself expressly distinguishes between 
them, styling one class " the principles for which he suf- 
fered/' and calling the other, with great modesty, his " pres- 
ent judgment." It is not impossible, therefore, however 
unlikely, that this " judgment" may have afterward been 
changed; and that the "Exhortation to Peace and Unity" 
grew out of the change, and was intended to justify it in the 
gentlest manner possible. One thing is certain, that the 
Author of that admirable " Exhortation" was a Strict Com- 
munion Baptist ; and his clear judgment, large views, and 
lovely temper, are the best rebuke to Mr. Philip's rhetoric 
on Close Communion. 

It was a just remark of Dr. Southey that the works of 
Bunyan have been printed without any regard to Arrange- 
ment. He suggests the Order of Time (if ascertained),, as 
the best , since it would enable the critical reader to trace 
the progress of Bunyan' s intellectual developement. Mr. 
Philip in his Chronological Critique (to which we have re- 
peatedly referred) has sought to follow out this suggestion, 
by the aid of Charles Doe's " Catalogue Table." But that 
Catalogue avowedly gives the order of publication, not of 
composition, and these two differ widely. Mr. Philip, 



X INTRODUCTION. 

through forgetfulness of this difference, falls into some sin- 
gular errors. The most remarkable one is a denial of the 
prison origin of the Pilgrim's Progress; and this solely on 
the ground that it was not published till 1677, five years 
after Bunyan was set at liberty. This novel opinion of Mr. 
Philip, is not only contrary to all the other evidence, but 
actually contradicts Bunyan himself; as has been fully 
shown by George Offor, Esq., of London, in his noble Intro- 
duction to the Hanserd Knollys' Society's edition of the 
Pilgrim. 

It is, however, but just to Mr. Philip to say, that not- 
withstanding these unfortunate mistakes, his Chronological 
Critique contains many beautiful and valuable thoughts, and 
many just criticisms on Bunyan's successive works, of which 
we may yet find occasion to avail ourselves for the advantage 
of the present edition. Most critics have confined their re- 
marks to the Allegories, or to the Grace Abounding. The 
more credit, therefore, is due to one, who, for the first time, 
has attempted to trace the characteristic merits and defects 
of Bunyan's other works — -and this, as far as he could, in 
the order of their successive production; thus throwing over 
them new and engaging lights of association, comparison, 
circumstances, and progress. 

The Arrangement of the Practical Works in this edition 
is the first that has been attempted on a systematic plan. As 
it is designed, however, for general readers, (rather than for 
critics,) the particular plan pursued has been chosen for their 
benefit. The main principle of it is to follow the Order of 
the Author's experience in the work of the Ministry. As 
this corresponds with the order of Nature and of Scripture, 
we prefer it to all others for practical purposes. Bunyan 
himself thus describes its successive stages : 

"In my preaching of the word, I took special notice of 
this one thing, namely, that the Lord did lead me to begin 
where his word begins with sinners} that is, to condemn all 



INTRODUCTION XI 

flesh, and to open and allege, that the curse of God by the 
law, doth belong to, and lay hold on, all men as they come 
into the world because of sin. Now this part of my work 
I fulfilled with great sense; for the terrors of the law, and 
guilt for my transgressions, lay heavy on my conscience. I 
preached what I felt, what I smartingly did feel; even that 
under which my poor soul did groan and tremble to astonish- 
ment. Indeed I have been as one sent to them from the dead. 
I went myself in chains to speak to them in chains; and 
carried that fire in my own conscience that I persuaded them 
to beware of. — Thus I went on for the space of two years; 
crying out against men's sins, and their fearful state because 
of them. After which, the Lord came in upon my own soul, 
with some sure peace and comfort through Christ; for he did 
give me many sweet discoveries of his blessed grace through 
him. Wherefore now I altered my preaching, (for still I 
preached what I saw and felt.) Now, therefore, I did much 
labor to hold forth Jesus Christ in all his offices, relations, 
and benefits unto the world ; and did strive, also, to discover, 
to condemn, and remove those false supports and props on 
which the world doth lean, and by them fall and perish. On 
these things, also, I staid as long as the other." 

This is the way in which Bunyan was led on, in the exe- 
cution of his ministerial work, by the Spirit of God. We 
say, the Spirit of God, with emphasis ; for the saving effects 
produced by his ministry demonstrate the guiding and co- 
operating influence of the Holy Spirit of Truth, whose 
revealed office it is to " convince the world of sin, and of 
righteousness, and of judgment." Not that God is limited 
to our methods. He has his own reserved resources of 
Sovereign Wisdom, as well as Sovereign Grace. He is able 
to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think. He 
can, at any moment, surprise and encourage us by new and 
unexpected manifestations of mercy. The combinations of 
his wisdom, like his understanding, are infinite. But his 



Xll INTRODUCTION. 

ordinary method of bringing souls to Christ, is that of which 
we speak; wherein he calls us to be workers together with 
him, and in which he gives us the promise of his support and 
blessing to the end of the world. 

Let it be admitted that there was something peculiar in 
the case of Bunyan, both as a man, and as a Minister. Yet 
that peculiarity does not belong to the nature, or tendency of 
the Holy Spirit's influence, but only to its degree and depth, 
as modified by acting through so rich a combination of facul- 
ties, with so little aid from without. And this explains the 
reason of Bunyan' s popularity with the great mass of expe- 
rimental Christians, every where. He opens to them his 
own deeply exercised heart, and their hearts throb with vital 
sympathy. He goes beyond them, but still they feel that 
he is one of them. He holds in his hand a key that opens 
the most intricate wards of their own religious experience. 
He at once interprets, confirms, and exalts their pious emo- 
tions while he describes his own, and shows them the just 
and solid foundation for those emotions in the Scriptures — 
in the revealed character and glory of God, in the perfection 
of his law, in the terrible evil of sin, in the sufferings of 
Christ as a Redeemer, in the sanctifying influences of the 
Spirit, in the beauty of holiness, in the brevity of life, in 
the insignificance of worldly good, and the all-absorbing 
greatness of an advancing eternity, with its judicial awards 
of human destiny. On all these things his spiritual dis- 
cernment is wonderful. And hence from his pen, now, as 
once from his living lips, the Gospel comes, "not in word 
only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much 
assurance. " And hence, also, however often read, his wri- 
tings are always new. 

In pursuance, therefore, of this process in the Author's minis- 
terial course, the several volumes issued by our Society will 
be arranged. In the present volume we shall group together 
the works most fitted to awaken the conscience of the care- 



INTRODUCTION. Xlll 

less; in the next volume, those most suited to invite and en- 
courage awakened sinners to come to Christ for salvation, by 
unfolding his gracious offices, relations and benefits; and in 
those volumes which follow, to search the spirits of pro- 
fessors, and build up sincere believers in the full life, power, 
and joy of their holy faith. Thus each volume, also, being 
complete of itself, may be sold separately, and may be em- 
ployed as a specific means of effecting specific good. 

But something more than arrangement has been attempted 
in this edition. Treatises have been divided into chapters; 
paragraphs brought into their natural connexion; sentences 
ehortened, and made clear by proper punctuation; references 
rearranged and verified ; a few pleonasms retrenched ; some 
obsolete words changed; and ungrammatical forms, as well 
as errors of the press, corrected. Something has also been 
done to remove the perplexity of too minute divisions. In 
short, the work of the Editor has been directed, without al- 
tering the texture of Bunyan's style, to show to the reader 
"how forcible are right words" on religious topics when ut- 
tered in pure old English, from a soul like Bunyan's. 

When we look around us, and see what is done by private 
publishers, by Publication Societies, by artists and by critics, 
by trade sales, and by Colporteur operations, to multiply, 
embellish and circulate the Pilgrim's Progress, &c. the words 
of his friend Charles Doe, "the Struggler (as he calls him- 
self) for the preservation of Bunyan's works," seem to 
have in them more than the mere enthusiasm of friendship, 
or the forecast of critical sagacity. Written a hundred and 
sixty years since, they sound now as if endowed with 



-something of prophetic strain. 



" Christians in town and country (he observes) can testify- 
that their comforts under his ministry have been to an admi- 
ration, so that their joy showed itself by much weeping. His 
Pilgrim's Progress wins so smoothly upon the affections, and 



XIV INTRODUCTION. 

so insensibly distils the Gospel into them, that a hundred 
thousand have been printed [within thirteen years] in Eng- 
land ; besides that, it hath been printed in France, Holland, 
New England, Welsh; whereby the Author has become 
famous. And it may be the cause of spreading his other 
Gospel books over the European and American world, and in 
process of time, it may be, to the whole universe." 

Of the particular works, of an awakening character, asso- 
ciated in the present volume, a few words will now be said. 

The first (from which the volume takes its name), " The 
Greatness of the Soul," is scarcely known among us, 
though one of the noblest of Bunyan's practical works. It 
was originally delivered in a series of discourses at Pinner's 
Hall, London, and was published in 1682, the same year 
with the " Holy "War." It is undoubtedly the basis of that fine 
Allegory — in the opinion of Dr. Barnes, " the greatest book 
written by uninspired man." "This consideration itself 
(says Mr. Philip), throws much light upon both the Allego- 
ry and the Pinner's Hall Sermon. They are worthy of 
each other. Indeed, had not Bunyan been pondering the 
Greatness, and thus, the worth of the Soul, he could not 
have found in it the Population of Mansouh nor even its Ma- 
o-istracv- On the other hand, had not the Powers and Affec- 
tions of the Soul taken allegoric forms and military action, 
which derive life from well known men and events, even he 
could not have condensed the massive thoughts, nor struck 
out the brilliant lights, that abound in the Sermon. This hint 
renders criticism utterly needless in the case of the Treatise 
on the Soul. It is the mine out of which he dug all the ore 
of his Allegory." 

From these remarks, it is evident nothing could be 
more appropriate, in view of the relation between the two 
works, than that the Holy War should be immediately fol- 
lowed by the Greatness of the Soul. The comparison be- 
tween them must be full of interest, independent of the great 



INTRODUCTION. XV 

merits of the latter in itself, and in its relation to the other 
works which follow it in this volume. Indeed, there is rea- 
son to believe (as Mr. Philip observes, Life and Times, 
p. 453) that this is the sermon, or rather series of sermons on 
the Greatness of the Soul, which Dr. Owen attended with 
such admiration, and which prompted his emphatic reply to 
Charles II. already mentioned "They account (adds Mr. 
Philip) for the electrifying effects of his Ministry." To say 
nothing of other parts, what has modern eloquence to offer 
more awfully sublime than the passage, commencing page 
137 of this volume on the Loss of the Soul? 

The second work, entitled " Sighs from Hell, or the 
Groans of A Lost Soul," naturally follows, as it seems 
to take up the subject where the other leaves it; and 
illustrates in a thousand lights the condition of a lost soul, 
especially in the intermediate state between Death and the 
Resurrection. It is a sort of running comment on the para- 
ble of the Rich Man and Lazarus in the sixteenth chapter 
of Luke; but such a comment as no other man could write 
except John Bunyan. Here, he indeed, appears a Boaner- 
ges, and many of his thoughts are more terrible than thun- 
derbolts to the guilty soul. "Hell is naked before him, 
and Destruction hath no covering." It is remarkable that 
this, the first of Bunyan' s practical works, was written about 
the same time with Baxter's " Call to the Unconverted," in 
1657. It is not certain which was published first. Their 
object is the same; their method only is different, illustra- 
ting the variety of their Lord' s gifts ; the books had like 
power, popularity and usefulness. Baxter was thirteen years 
older than Bunyan, and had better advantages of education. 
Baxter pleads and persuades, more like a practised pious 
writer; Bunyan warns and entreats sinners, "as one sent to 
them from the dead." Mr. Philip justly observes, " There was, 
from the first, in Bunyan's spirit, as in Whitfield's, a ' secret 
place of thunder/ and ( a fountain of tears/ that discharged 



XVI INTRODUCTION. 

alternate bursts of terror and tenderness — bolts of Sinai, 
and dew of Hermon. And this twofold power he retained 
to the end of life; but he never displayed it better than in 
the first outpourings of his baptized spirit, whilst he knew 
nothing about the art of writing for the press.' ' 

The third treatise on the " Resurrection of the Dead 
and Eternal Judgment/' was written in Bedford jail, and 
published in 1665. It shows that he had made great progress 
as a writer. It will be found also a sort of continuation, and 
suitable companion of the other two j conducting us wit h a 
solemn grandeur through the closing scenes of Time, the 
Soul's reinvestment with bodily form and powers, and its 
final trial before the Judgment-seat of Christ. "Calm in 
its solemnity, and close in its reasonings, and sparing of epi- 
thets, there are many sublime and beautiful passages in it," 
which show that prison walls could not cripple the ener- 
gies of his Christian faith, nor shut out from the sufferer's 
heart the consolations of immortal hope. In the contempla- 
tion of the glories and terrors of the Last Day, we see the 
grand counterpoise to all the trials which he had been for 
years enduring, and which through the malice of his ene- 
mies he was yet for years to endure. From the sublime 
views of "the recompense of reward" derived from the 
Scriptures, habitually cherished, and so forcibly presented in 
this awakening treatise, Bunyan's soul gathered that invin- 
cible resolution, which bore him through his long imprison- 
ment, and breathed in these memorable words : " My Prin- 
ciples, indeed, are such as lead me to a denial to communi- 
cate with the Ungodly and Profane in the things of the 
kingdom of Christ. Neither can I consent, in or by the su- 
perstitious inventions of this world, that my soul should be 
governed in any of my approaches to Grod ; because com- 
manded to the contrary, and commended for so refusing. . . . 
But if nothing will do, unless I make my Conscience a con- 
tinual butchery or slaughter-shop — unless, putting out mino 



INTRODUCTION. XV11 

own eyes, I commit myself to the blind to lead me, as I 
doubt not is desired by some, — I have determined, the 
Almighty God being my help and shield, yet to suffer — if 
frail life continue so long — even till the moss shall grow upon 
mine eyebrows, rather than thus violate my faith and prin- 
ciples." 

But although the views he gives as in the first part of this 
Treatise on the Resurrection of the Just, are thus suited 
powerfully to sustain the believer, and especially to cheer 
suffering Saints, yet the Author's main object is evidently 
the awakening and conversion of Sinners. Hence, the far 
greater portion of it is occupied with the Resurrection of 
the Unjust, the Opening of the Books to them, and the 
entire process of their Trial, Conviction, and final Condemna- 
tion. Nothing more complete, searching, and overwhelming 
on this subject, perhaps is to be found in our popular reli- 
gious literature. As such it seems a fit conclusion to this 
volume of Bunyan's Awakening "Works. 

J. N. B. 

Philadelphia, July 4, 1850. 



THE 



GREATNESS OF THE SOUL, 



UNSPEAKABLENESS OF THE LOSS THEREOF: 



THE CAUSES OF LOSING IT. 



2* (17) 



THE 



GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 



CHAPTER I. 



What shall a man give in exchange fob his Soul? — Mark riii. 37. 

I have chosen at this time to handle these words, and that 
for several reasons. First of all, because the Soul, and the 
Salvation of the Soul, are such great, such wonderful great 
things. Nothing is a matter of that concern as is, and should 
be, the Soul of each one of you. House and land, trades 
and honors, places and preferments, what are they to Salva- 
tion, to the Salvation of the Soul? — And then I perceive 
that this so great a thing, and about which persons should be 
so much concerned, is neglected to amazement, and that by 
the most of men. Yea, who are there of the many thousands 
that sit daily under the sound of the gospel that are con- 
cerned, heartily concerned, about the salvation of their souls ? 
— that are concerned, I say, as the nature of the thing re- 
quire th. If ever a lamentation was fit to be taken up in 
this age about any thing, it is about the horrid neglect that 
every where puts forth itself with reference to Eternal Salva- 
tion. Where is one man of a thousand- — yea, where are there 
two of ten thousand that do show by their conversation, pub- 
lic and private, that the Soul — their own souls — are considered 
by them, and that they are taking that care for their salva- 
tion which becomes them ? — that is, which the weight of tho 

(19) 



20 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

work, and the nature of salvation requireth. — I have there- 
fore pitched upon this text at this time, to see if perad- 
venture the discourse which Grod shall help me to make upon 
it will awaken you, rouse you off of your beds of ease, secu- 
rity and pleasure, and fetch you down upon your knees be- 
fore him, to beg of him grace to be concerned about the sal- 
vation of your souls. And then, in the last place, I have 
taken upon me to do this, that I may deliver, if not you, yet 
myself; and that I may be clear of your blood, and stand 
quit, as to you, before G-od, when you shall for neglect be 
damned, and wail to consider that you have lost your souls. 
"When I say, unto the wicked, saith G-od, thou shalt surely 
die ; and thou (the prophet, or preacher) givest him not warn- 
ing, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, 
to save his life ; the same wicked man shall die in his ini- 
quity ; but his blood will I require at thy hand. Yet if thou 
warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor 
from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity ; but thou 
hast delivered thy soul. Ezek. iii. 18, 19. 

"What shall a man give in exchange for his 
Soul?" 

In handling these words, I shall first speak of the occa- 
sion of them, and then of the words themselves. 

The occasion of the words was this ; — the people that now 
were auditors of the Lord Jesus, and that followed him, did it 
without that consideration which becomes so great a work — 
that is, the generality of them that followed him were not 
for considering first with themselves what it was to profess 
Christ, and what that profession might cost them. 

" And when he had called the people unto him" (the great 
multitude that went with him, Luke xiv. 25), "with his 
disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after 
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow 
me." Yer. 34. Let him first sit down and count up the cost 



DEMANDS AND JUSTIFIES SELF-DENIAL. 21 

and the charge he is likely to be at, if he follow me ; for 
following me is not like following some other masters. The 
winds sit always on my face, and the foaming rage of the sea 
of this world, and the proud and lofty waves thereof, do con- 
tinually beat upon the sides of the bark, that myself, my 
cause, and my followers are in ; he therefore that will not run 
hazards, and that is afraid to venture a drowning, let him 
not set foot into this vessel. " So whosoever doth not bear 
his cross, and come after me, he cannot be my disciple. For 
which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down 
first and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish 
it ?" Luke xiv. 15, 26-29. 

True, to Reason,* this kind of language tends to cast water 
upon weak and beginning desires ; but to Faith it makes the 
things set before us, and the greatness, and the glory of them, 
more apparently excellent and desirable. Reason will say, 
Then who will profess Christ that hath such coarse entertain- 
ment at the beginning ? But Faith will say, Then surely the 
things that are at the end of a Christian's race in this world 
must needs be unspeakably glorious ; since whoever have had 
but the knowledge and due consideration of them, have not 
stuck to run hazards, hazards of every kind, that they might 
embrace and enjoy them. Yea, saith Faith, it must needs 
be so, since the Son of G-od himself, that best knew what 
they were, even " for the joy that was set before him, en- 
dured the cross, and despised the shame, and is now set down 
on the right hand of the throne of God." Heb. xii. 2. 

But, I say, there is not in every man this knowledge of 
things, and so by consequence, not such consideration as can 
make the cross and self-denial acceptable to them, for the sake 
of Christ, and of the things that are where he now sitteth at 



* Reason is here put for the false reasonings of Unbelief. Sound Reason is always 
in harmony with Faith ; leads us to it at first, and holds us to it at last. Our Author 
himself clearly shows this in what follows. — J. N. B. 



22 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

the right hand of G-od (Col. ii. 2-4) j therefore our Lord Jesus 
doth even at the beginning give to his followers this instruc- 
tion. And lest any of them should take distaste at his saying, 
he presenteth them with the consideration of three things to- 
gether — namely, the cross, the loss of life, and the soul ; and 
then reasoneth with them for the same, saying, Here is the 
cross, the life, and the soul. 1. The cross; and that you, 
must take up, if you will follow me. 2. The life ; and that 
you may save for a time, if you cast me off. 3. And the soul ; 
which will everlastingly perish if you come not to me, and 
abide not with me. Now consider what is best to be done. 
Will you take up the cross, come after me, and so preserve 
your souls from perishing ? or will you shun the cross to save 
your lives, and so run the danger of eternal damnation ? Or, 
as you have it in John, will you love your life till you lose it ? 
or will you hate your life, and save it ? " He that loveth his 
life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world, 
shall keep it unto life eternal." John xii. 25. As if he 
should say, He that loveth a temporal life, he that so loveth 
it as to shun the profession of Christ to save it, shall lose it 
upon a worse account than if he had lost it for Christ and 
the gospel ; but he that will set light by it, for the love that 
he hath to Christ, shall keep it unto life eternal. 

Christ having thus discoursed with his followers about 
their denying themselves, their taking up their cross and 
following him, doth in the next place put the question to 
them, and so leave it upon them for ever, saying, " For what 
shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and 
lose his own soul?" ver. 36. As if he should say, I have 
bid you take heed that you do not lightly, and without due 
consideration, enter into a profession of me and of my gospel 
(for he that without due consideration shall begin to profess 
Christ, will also without it forsake him, turn from him, and 
cast him behind his back) ; and since I have, even at the 
beginning, laid the consideration of the cross before you, it 



DEMANDS AND JUSTIFIES SELF-DENIAL. 23 

is because you should not be surprised and overtaken by it 
unawares, and because you should know that to draw back 
from me after you have laid your hand to my plough, will 
make you unfit for the kingdom of heaven. Luke x. 62. 
Now, since this is so, there is no less lies at stake than salva- 
tion, and salvation is worth all the world, yea, worth ten 
thousand worlds, if there should be so many. And since 
this is so also, it will be your wisdom to begin to profess the 
gospel with expectation of the cross and tribulation, for to 
that are my followers in this world appointed. 2 Thess. iii. 3. 
And if you begin thus, and hold it, the kingdom and crown 
shall be yours ; for as Grod counteth it a righteous thing to 
recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, so to you 
who are troubled, and endure it, (for we count them happy, 
says James, that endure, James v. 11), rest with the saints, 
when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his 
mighty angels in flaming fire, to take vengeance on them that 
know not Grod, and that obey not the gospel, &c. 2 Thess. 1. 
7. And if no less lies at stake than salvation, then is a man's 
soul and his all at the stake ; and if it be so, what will it 
profit a man if, by forsaking me, he should get the whole 
world ? " For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the 
whole world, and lose his own soul V 

Having thus laid the soul in one balance, and the world 
in the other, and affirmed that the soul outbids the whole 
world, and is incomparably for value and worth beyond it ; 
in the next place, he descends to a second question (which 
is that I have chosen at this time for my text), saying, " Or 
what shall a man give in exchange for his soul V 

In these words, we have first a supposition, and such an 
one as standeth upon a double bottom. 

The supposition is this — That the soul is capable of being 
lost; or thus — It is possible for a man to lose his soul. 
The double bottom that this supposition is grounded upon is, 
1. A man's ignorance of the worth of his soul, and of the 



24 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

danger that it is in ; and 2. Men commonly set a higher 
price upon present ease and enjoyments than they do upon 
eternal salvation. The last of these doth naturally follow 
upon the first ; for if men be ignorant of the value and worth 
of their souls, as by Christ in the verse before is implied, 
what should hinder but that they should set a higher esteem 
upon that with which their carnal desires are taken, than 
upon that about which they are not concerned, and of which 
they know not the worth ? 

But again, as this by the text is clearly supposed, so there 
is also something further implied — namely, that it is impos- 
sible to possess some men with the worth of their souls until 
they are utterly and everlastingly lost. " What shall a man 
give in exchange for his soul ?" That is, men when their 
souls are lost, and shut down under the hatches, in the pits 
and hells, in endless perdition and destruction, then they 
will see the worth of their souls, then they will consider 
what they have lost, and truly not till then. This is plain, 
not only to sense, but by the natural scope of the words, 
" What shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" Or, 
what would not those that are now for sin made to see them- 
selves lost by the light of hell-fire, (for some will never be 
convinced that they are lost, till, with rich Dives, they see it 
in the light of hell-flames) ; I say, what would not such, if 
they had it (Luke xvi. 22, 23), give in exchange for their 
immortal souls, or to recover them again from that place and 
torment ? 

I shall observe two truths in the words. 

1. The first is, that the loss of the soul is the highest, the 
greatest loss — a loss that can never be repaired or made up. 
" What shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" — that 
is, to redeem his lost soul to liberty. 

2. The second truth is this, that how unconcerned and 
careless soever some now be about the loss or salvation of 
their souls, yet the day is coming (but it will then be too 



DEMANDS AND JUSTIFIES SELF-DENIAL. 25 

late) when men will be willing, had they never so much, to 
give it all in exchange for their souls. For so the question 
implies — " What shall a man give in exchange for his soul V 
What would he not give ? What would he not part with at 
that day, the day in which he shall see himself damned, if 
he had it, in exchange for his soul ? 



CHAPTER II. 

what the Soul is. 

The first observation, or truth, drawn from the words is 
cleared by the text, " What shall a man give in exchange 
for his soul ?" — that is, there is not any thing, nor all the 
things under heaven, were they all in one man's hand, and 
all at his disposal, that would go in exchange for the soul, 
that would he of value to fetch hack one lost soul, or that 
would certainly recover it from the confines of hell. " For 
the redemption of the soul is precious, and it ceaseth for 
ever." Psalm xlix. 8. And what saith the words before the 
text but the same — " For what shall it profit a man, if he 
shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ?" What 
shall profit a man that has lost his soul ? Nothing at all, 
though he hath by that loss gained the whole world ; for all 
the world is not worth a soul, not worth a soul in the eye 
of G-od and judgment of the law. And it is from this con- 
sideration that good Elihu cautioneth Job to take heed. 
" Because there is wrath, beware, lest he take thee away 
with his stroke : then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. 
Will he esteem thy riches ? no, not gold, nor all the forces 
of strength." Job xxxvi. 18, 19. Riches and power, what 
is there more in the world ? for money answereth all things 
— that is, all but soul-concerns. It can neither be a price 
for souls while here, nor can that, with all the forces of 
strength, recover one out of hell-fire. 

So, then, the first truth drawn from the words stands firm 
— namely, that the loss of the soul is the highest, 

THE GREATEST LOSS ; A LOSS THAT CAN NEVER BE REPAIRED 
OR MADE UP. 

(26) 



WHAT THE SOUL IS. 27 

In my discourse upon this subject I shall observe this 
method — 

I. I shall show you what the Soul is. 

II. I shall show you the Greatness of the Soul. 

III. I shall show you what it is to lose the Soul. 

IV. I shall show you the Cause for which men lose their 
souls ; and by this time the greatness of the loss will be 
manifest. 

I. I shall show you what the Soul is, both by the various 
names it goes under, and also by describing its powers and 
properties ; though in all I shall be but brief, for I intend no 
long discourse. 

1. The soul is often called the heart of man, or that in 
which things, either good or evil, have their rise ; thus de- 
sires are of the heart or soul; yea, before desires, the first 
conception of good or evil is in the soul, the heart. The 
heart understands, wills, affects, reasons, judges, but these 
are the faculties of the soul ; wherefore heart and soul are 
often taken for one and the same. " My son, give me thy 
heart." "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts," &c. 
Prov. xxiii. 26 ) Matt. xv. 19 ; 1 Peter iii. 15 ; Psalm xxvi. 6. 

2. The soul of man is often called the spirit of a man, 
because it not only giveth being, but life, to all things and 
actions in and done by him. Hence soul and spirit are put 
together as to the same action — " With my soul have I de- 
sired thee in the night, yea, with my spirit within me will 
I seek thee early." (Isaiah xxvi. 9). When he saith, " Yea, 
with my spirit I will seek thee," he explaineth not only 
with what kind of desires he desired God, but with what 
principal matter his desires were brought forth : it was with 
my soul, saith he ; that is with my spirit within me. So, 
in that song of Mary, " My soul, doth magnify the Lord, 
and my spirit hath rejoiced in G-od my Saviour." Not 
that soul and spirit are in this place to be taken for two 



28 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

superior powers in man; but the same great soul is here 
put under two names or terms, to show that it was the 
principal part in Mary — namely, her soul, that magnified 
God, even that part that could spirit and put life into her 
whole self to do it. Indeed, sometimes spirit is not taken 
so largely, but is confined to some one power or faculty of 
the soul, as "the spirit of my understanding;" Job xx. 3 
and " be renewed in the spirit of your mind ;" Eph. 4. 23 
and sometimes by spirit we are to understand other things 
but many times by spirit we must understand the soul, and 
also by soul the spirit. 

3. Therefore, by the soul we understand the spiritual, the 
best and most noble part of man, as distinct from the body; 
even that by which we understand, imagine, reason, and 
discourse. And indeed (as I shall further show you pre- 
sently) the body is but a poor empty vessel without this 
great thing called the soul. " The body without the spirit, 
or soul, is dead" (James ii. 26), or nothing but a clod of 
dust. It is said of Rachel, Glen. xxxv. 18, " Her soul de- 
parted from her, for she died." It is therefore the chief and 
most noble part of man. 

4. The soul is often called the life of man ; not a life of 
the same stamp and nature of the brute ; for the life of man 
— that is, of the rational creature — is that (as he is such) 
wherein consisteth and abideth the understanding and the 
conscience. Wherefore, then a man dieth, (i. e., the body 
ceaseth to act, or live in the exercise of the thoughts which 
formerly used to be in him,) when the soul departeth, as I 
hinted even now; "her soul departed from her, for she died ;" 
and as another good man saith, "in that very day their 
thoughts perish." Psalm cxlvi. 4. The first text is even 
more emphatical : " Her soul was in departing, for she 
died." There is the soul of a beast, a bird, &c, but the 
soul of a man is another thing ; it is his understanding, and 
reason, and conscience, &c. And when this soul departs, he 



WHAT THE SOUL IS. 29 

dies. Nor is this life, when gone out of the body, annihi- 
lated, as in the life of a beast ; no, this in itself is immortal, 
and has yet a place and being when gone out of the body 
it dwelt in ; yea, as quick, as lively is it in its senses, if not 
far more abundant, than when it was in the body ; but I 
call it the life, because so long as that remains in the body, 
the body is not dead. And in this sense it is to be taken 
where Christ saith, " He that loseth his life for my sake, 
shall save it unto eternal life •" and this is the soul that is 
intended in the text, and not the breath, as in some other 
places is meant. And this is evident, because the man has 
a being, a sensible being, after he has lost the soul ; I mean 
not by the man a man in this world, nor yet in the body, 
or in the grave ; but by man we must understand either the 
soul in hell, or body and soul there after the judgment is 
over. And for this the text also is plain, for herein we are 
presented with a man sensible of the damage that he has 
sustained by losing of his soul : " What shall a man give in 
exchange for his soul V But, 

5. The whole man goeth under this denomination ) man, 
consisting of body and soul, is yet called by that part of 
himself that is indeed chief and principal. " Let every soul 
(that is, let every man) be subject to the higher powers. " 
Rom. xiii. 1. " Then sent Joseph, and called his father 
Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen 
souls. Acts vii. 14. By both these, and several other 
places, the whole man is meant, and is also so to be taken 
in the text ; for whereas here he saith, " What shall it pro- 
fit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own 
soul V 7 it is said elsewhere, " For what is a man advantaged 
if he shall gain the whole world and lose himself V and so 
consequently, or, " What shall a man give in exchange (for 
himself) for his soul V — (Luke ix. 25) his soul when he dies, 
and body and soul in and after judgment ? 

6. The soul is called the good man's darling. " Deliver," 

3* 



30 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

said David, " my soul from the sword, my darling from the 
power of the dog/' Psalm xxii. 20. So again in another 
place, he saith, " Lord, how long wilt thou look on ? rescue 
my soul from destruction, my darling from the power of the 
lions." Psalm xxxv. 17. My darling — this sentence must 
not be applied universally, but only to those in whose eyes 
their souls, and the redemption thereof, are precious. My 
darling — most men do by their actions say of their soul, my 
drudge, my slave ; nay, thou slave to the devil and sin ; for 
what sin, what lust, what sensual and beastly lust is there 
in the world, that some do not cause their souls to bow be- 
fore and yield unto ? But David here, as you see, calls it his 
darling, or his choice and most excellent thing ; for indeed 
the soul is a choice thing in itself, and should, were all wise, 
be every man's darling, or chief treasure. And that it 
might be so with us, therefore our Lord Jesus hath thus ex- 
pressed the worth of the soul, saying, " What shall a man 
give in exchange for his soul ?" But if this is true, one may 
see already what misery he is to sustain that has lost, or 
shall lose his soul ; he has lost his heart, his spirit, his best 
part, his life, his darling, himself, his whole self, and so in 
every sense his all ? " And now what shall a man," what 
would a man (but what can a man) that has thus lost his soul, 
himself, and his all, " give in exchange for his soul V* Yea, 
what shall the man that has sustained this loss do to recover 
all again? since this man, or the man put under this ques- 
tion, must needs be a man that is gone from hence, a man 
that is cast in the judgment, and one that is gone down the 
throat of hell. 

But to pass this, and to proceed. I come next to describe 
the Soul unto you by such things as it is set out by in the 
Holy Scriptures, and they are in general three — 

The Powers of the Soul. 

The Senses of the Soul. 

The Passions of the Soul. 



WHAT THE SOUL IS. 31 

We will first discourse of the Powers of the Soul. I may 
call them the members of the soul ; for as the members of 
the body, being many, do all go to the making up of the 
body, so these do go to the completing of the soul. 

1. There is the Understanding, which may be termed the 
head, because in that is placed the eye of the soul; and 
this is that which, or by which the soul, discerneth things 
that are presented to it, and that either by God or Satan — 
this is that by which a man conceiveth and apprehendeth 
things so deep and great as cannot by mouth, or tongue, or 
pen, be expressed. 

2. There is also belonging to the soul, the Conscience, in 
which I may say is placed the seat of judgment ; for as by 
the understanding things are let into the soul, so by the 
conscience the evil or good of such things is tried ; especially 
when 

3. The Judgment, which is another part of this noble 
creature, has passed, by the light of the understanding, his 
verdict upon what is let into the soul. 

4. There is, also, the Fancy or Imagination, another part 
of this great thing, the soul ; and a most curious thing this 
fancy is ; it is that which presenteth to the man the idea, 
form, or figure of any of those things, wherewith a man is 
frighted or attracted, pleased or displeased. And, 

5. The Mind, or Attention (another part of the soul), is 
that unto which this fancy presenteth its things to be con- 
sidered, because without the mind, or attention, nothing is 
entertained in the soul. 

6. There is the Memory too, another part of the soul; and 
that may be called the register of the soul ; for it is the 
memory that receiveth and keepeth in remembrance what 
has passed, or has been done by the man, or attempted to 
be done unto him. And in this part of the soul, or from it, 
will be fed the worm that dieth not when men are cast into 
hell ; also from this memory will flow that peace at the day 



32 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

of judgment that saints snail have in their service for Christ 
in the world. 

7. There are the Affections too, which are, as I may call 
them, the hands and arms of the soul ; for they take hold 
of, receive, and embrace what is liked by the soul ; and it is 
a hard thing to make the soul of a man cast from it what its 
affections cleave to and have embraced. Hence the affec- 
tions are called for, when the apostle bids men " seek the 
things above ; set your affections upon them," saith he (Col. 
iii.); or, as you have it in another place, "Lay hold of 
them" (1 Tim. vi. 12); for the affections are as hands to 
the soul, by which it fasteneth upon things. 

8. There is the "Will, which may be called the foot of the 
soul, because by that the soul, yea, the whole man, is carried 
hither and thither, or else held back and kept from moving. 

These are the golden things of the soul ; though in carnal 
men they are every one of them made use of in the service 
of sin and Satan. For the unbelieving are throughout im- 
pure, as is manifest, because their "mind and conscience 
(two of the masterpieces of the soul) are defiled" (Tit. i. 
15) ; for if the most potent parts of the soul are engaged in 
their service, what, think you, do the more inferior do ? 
But, I say, so it is ; the more is the pity ; nor can any help 
it. This work " ceaseth for ever," unless the great Grod, 
who is over all, and can save souls, shall himself take upon 
him to sanctify the soul, and recover it, and persuade it to 
fail in love with another master. 

But, I say, what is man without this soul, or wherein 
lieth his pre-eminence over a beast ? (Eccles. iii. 19-21) ; 
nowhere that I know of; for both (as to man's body) go to 
one place, only the spirit or soul of a man goes upward — to 
wit, to G-od that gave it, to be by him disposed of with re- 
spect to things to come, as they have been and have done in 
this life. 

I come, in the next place, to describe the soul by its 



WHAT THE SOUL IS. 33 

Senses, its spiritual senses, for so I call them; for as the 
body hath senses pertaining to it, and as it can see, hear, 
smell, feel, and taste, so can the soul; I call, therefore, 
these the senses of the soul, in opposition to the senses of 
the body, and because the soul is the seat of all spiritual 
sense, where supernatural things are known and enjoyed; 
not that the soul of a natural man is spiritual in the apos- 
tle's sense, for none are so but those that were born from 
above, (1 Cor. iii. 1-3), nor they so always neither. But to 
go forward. 

1. Can the body see? hath it eyes? so hath the soul. 
11 The eyes of the understanding being enlightened/' Ephes. 
i. 19. As, then, the body can see beasts, trees, men, and all 
visible things, so the soul can see G-od, Christ, angels, hea- 
ven, devils, hell, and other things that are invisible. Nor is 
this property only peculiar to the souls that are illuminated 
by the Holy Ghost ; for the most carnal soul in the world 
shall have a time to see these things, but not to its comfort, 
but not to its joy, but to its endless woe and misery, it dying 
in that condition. Wherefore, sinner, say not thou, " I shall 
not see him ; for judgment is before him, and he will make 
thee see him." Job xxxv. 14. 

2. Can the body hear ? hath it ears ? so hath the soul ? 
see Job iv. 12, 13. It is the soul, not the body, that hears 
the language of things invisible. It is the soul that hears 
Grod when he speaks in and by his word and Spirit; and it 
is the soul that hears the devil when he speaks by his illu- 
sions and temptations. True, there is such a union be- 
tween the soul and the body, that ofttimes, if not always, 
that which is heard by the ears of the body doth influence 
the soul, and that which is heard by the soul doth also in- 
fluence the body ; but yet as the organ of hearing, the body 
hath one of his own, distinct from that of the soul, and the 
soul can hear and regard even then when the body doth not 
nor cannot; as in time of sleep, deep sleep and trances, 



34 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

when the body lieth by, as a thing that is useless. " For 
God speaks once, yea twice, yet man (as to his body) per- 
ceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when 
deep sleep falleth upon men in slumberings upon the bed ; 
then openeth he the ears of men, and sealeth their instruc- 
tion/' &c. Job xxxiii. 14-16. This must be meant of the 
ears of the soul, not of the body ; for that at this time is 
said to be in deep sleep; moreover, this hearing, it is a 
hearing of dreams, and the visions of the night. Jeremiah 
also tells us that he had the rare and blessed visions of 
God in his sleep (Jer. xxxi. 26), and so doth Daniel too, 
by the which they were greatly comforted and refreshed ; 
but that could not be, was not the soul also capable of hear- 
ing. u I heard the voice of his words/' said Daniel, " and 
when I heard the voice of his words, I was in a deep sleep 
on my face, and my face towards the ground." Dan. x. 8, 9. 
3. As the soul can see and hear, so it can taste and relish, 
even as really as doth the palate belonging to the body. 
But then the thing so tasted must be that which is suited 
to the temper and palate of the soul. The soul's taste lieth 
not in, nor is exercised about meats, the meats that are for 
the body. Yet the soul of a saint can taste and relish God's 
word, and doth ofttimes find it sweeter than honey, nou- 
rishing as milk, and strengthening like to strong meat. Heb. 
vi. 5; Psalm xix. 10; 1 Peter ii. 1-3; Heb. v. 12-14. 
The soul also of sinners, and of those that are unsanctified, 
can taste and relish, though not the things now mentioned, 
yet things that agree with their fleshly minds, and with their 
polluted and vile affections. They can relish and taste that 
which delighteth them ; yea, they can find soul-delight in 
an alehouse, a whorehouse, a playhouse. Ay, they find 
pleasure in the vilest things, in the things most offensive to 
God, and that are most destructive to themselves. This is 
evident to sense, and is proved by the daily practice of sin- 
ners. Nor is the word barren as to this : " They feed on 



SENSES OF THE SOUL. 35 

ashes." Isaiah xliv. 20. " They spend their money for that 
which is not bread. Isaiah lv. 2. Yea, they eat, and suck 
sweetness out of sin. " They eat up the sin of my people as 
they eat bread." Hosea iv. 8. 

4. As the soul can see, hear, and taste, so it can smell, 
and bring refreshment to itself that way. Hence the 
church saith, " Her fingers dropped with sweet-smelling 
myrrh" (Cant. v. 5, 13); and again, she saith of her be- 
loved, that " his lips dropped sweet-smelling myrrh." But 
how came the church to understand this, but because her 
soul did smell that in it that was to be smelled in it, even 
in his word and gracious visits. The poor world indeed 
cannot smell, or savor any thing of the good and fragrant 
scent, the sweetness that is in Christ ; but to them that be- 
lieve u his name is as ointment poured forth, and therefore 
the virgins love him." Cant. i. 3. 

5. As the soul can see, taste, hear, and smell, so it hath 
the sense of feeling, as quick and as sensible as the body. 
He knows nothing that knows not this ; he whose soul is 
past feeling, has his conscience seared with a hot iron. 
Eph. iv. 18, 19 ; 1 Tim. iv. 2. Nothing so sensible as the 
soul, nor feeleth so quickly the love and mercy, or the anger 
and wrath of G-od. Ask the awakened man, or the man 
that is under the convictions of the law, if he doth not feel, 
and he will quickly tell you that he faints and dies away 
by reason of God's hand, and his wrath that lieth upon 
him. Read the first eight verses of the 38th Psalm (if thou 
knowest nothing of what I have told thee by experience), 
and there thou shalt hear the complaints of one whose soul 
lay at present under the burden of guilt, and that cried out 
that without help from heaven he could by no means bear 
the same. They also that know what the peace of God 
means, and what an eternal weight there is in glory, know 
well that the soul has the sense of feeling, as well as the 



db THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

sense of seeing, hearing, tasting, and smelling. But thus 
much for the senses of the soul. 

I come, in the next place, to describe the soul by the 
Passions of the Soul. The passions of the soul, I reckon, 
are these — namely, love, hatred, joy, fear, grief, anger, and 
such like. And these passions of the Soul are not therefore 
good, nor therefore evil, because they are the passions of the 
Soul, but are made so by two things — namely, principle and 
object. The principle, I count that from whence they flow, 
and the object, that upon which they are fixed. To ex- 
plain myself. 

1. For that of Love. This is a strong passion; the Holy 
G-host saith " it is strong as death, and cruel as the grave/' 
Cant. viii. 6, 7. And it is then good, when it flows from 
faith, and fixes itself upon Grod in Christ as the object, 
and when it extendeth itself to all that is good, whether it 
be the good word, the good work of grace, or the good men 
that have it, and also to their good lives. But all soul-love 
floweth not from this principle, neither hath these for its 
object. How many are there that make the object of their 
love the most vile of men, the most base of things, because 
it flows from vile affections, and from the lusts of the flesh ? 
Grod and Christ, good laws and good men, and their holy 
lives, they cannot abide, because their love wanteth a prin- 
ciple that should sanctify it in its first motion, and that 
should steer it to a goodly object. But that is the first. 

2. There is Hatred, which I count another passion of the 
soul ; and this, as the other, is good or evil as the principle 
from whence it flows and the object of it are. " Ye that 
love the Lord, hate evil" (Psalm xcvii. 10) ; then therefore 
is this passion good, when it singleth out from the many of 
things that are in the world that one filthy thing called 
sin; and when it setteth itself, the soul, and the whole 
man, against it, and engageth all the powers of the soul to 
seek and invent its ruin. But, alas, where shall this hatred 



PASSIONS OF THE SOUL. 37 

be found ? What man is there whose soul is filled with 
this passion, thus sanctified by the love of God, and that 
makes sin, which is God's enemy, the only object of its 
indignation ? How many be there, I say, whose hatred 
is turned another way, because of the malignity of their 
minds ? 

They hate knowledge. Prov. i. 22, 29. 

They hate God. Dent. vii. 10 ; 2 Chron. xix. 2. 

They hate the righteous. Psalm xxxiv. 21; Prov. xxix. 10. 

They hate God's ways. Job xxi. 14 ; Mai. iii. 14. 

And all this is, because the grace of filial fear is not the 
root and principle from whence their hatred flows. " For 
the fear of the Lord is to hate evil." Prov. viii. 13. Where- 
fore, where this grace is wanting for a root in the soul, there 
it must of necessity swerve in the letting out of this passion ; 
because the soul, where grace is wanting, is not at liberty to 
act simply, but is biassed by the power of sin, that is present 
in the soul. And hence it is that this passion (which when 
used well is a virtue) is so abused, and made to exercise its 
force against that for which God never ordained it, nor gave 
it licence to act. 

3. Another passion of the soul is Joy; and when the soul 
rejoiceth not in iniquity, "but rejoiceth in the truth/' 
(1 Cor. xiii. 6,) it is well. This joy is a very strong passion, 
and will carry a man through a world of difficulties ; it is a 
passion that beareth up, that supporteth and strengthened 
a man, let the object of his joy be what it will. It is this 
that maketh the soul fat in goodness, if it have its object 
accordingly ; and that which makes the soul bold in wicked- 
ness, if it indeed doth rejoice in iniquity. 

4. Another passion of the soul is Fear, natural fear ; for 
so you must understand me of all the passions of the soul, 
as they are considered simply, and in their own nature. 
And as it is with the other passions, so it is with this ; it is 
made good or evil in its acts as its principle and objects 

4 



38 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

are ; when this passion of the soul is good, then it springs 
from a sense of the greatness, and goodness, and majesty of 
G-od. Also G-od himself is the object of this fear. Matt. x. 
28 ; Luke xii. 5. " I will forewarn you," says Christ, 
" whom ye shall fear. Fear him that can destroy both body 
and soul in hell ; yea, I say unto you, Fear him." But in 
all men this passion is not regulated and governed by these 
principles and objects, but is abused and turned, through 
the policy of Satan, quite into another channel. It is 
made to fear men, to fear idols (Num. xiv. 9 ; 2 Kings xvii. 
7, 38), to fear devils and witches, yea, it is made to fear 
all the foolish, ridiculous, and apish fables that every old 
woman or atheistical fortune-teller has the face to drop be- 
fore the soul. 

5. Another passion of the soul is Grief, and it, as those 
aforenamed, acteth even according as it is governed. When 
holiness is lovely and beautiful to the soul, and when the 
name of Christ is more precious than life, then will the soul 
sit down and be afflicted, because men keep not God's law. 
"I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they 
kept not thy word." Psalm cxix. 158. So Christ looked 
round about with anger, " being grieved for the hardness of 
their hearts." Mark iii. 5. But it is rarely seen that this 
passion of the soul is thus exercised. Almost every body 
has other things for the spending of the heat of this passion 
upon. Men are grieved that they thrive no more in the 
world ; grieved that they have no more carnal, sensual, and 
worldly honor ; grieved that they are suffered no more to 
range in the lusts and vanities of this life ; but all this is 
because the soul is unacquainted with God, sees no beauty 
in holiness, but is sensual, and wrapped up in clouds and 
thick darkness. 

6. And lastly, There is Anger, which is another passion 
of the soul; and that, as the rest, is exerted by the soul, 
according to the nature of the principle by which it is 






PASSIONS OF THE SOUL. 39 

actuated, and from whence it flows. And, in a word, to 
speak nothing of the fierceness and power of this passion, 
it is then cursed when it breaketh out beyond the bounds 
that Grod hath set it ; the which to be sure it doth when by 
its fierceness or irregular motion it runs the soul into sin. 
" Be angry, and sin not" (Ephes. iv. 26, 27), is the limita- 
tion wherewith G-od hath bounded this passion ; and what- 
ever is more than this, is giving place to the devil. 

And one reason among others why the Lord doth so 
strictly set this bound, and these limits to anger, is, that 
it is so furious a passion, and that it will so quickly swell 
up the soul with sin, as they say a toad swells with its poison. 
Yea, it will in a moment so transport the spirit of a man, 
that he shall quickly forget himself, his G-od, his friend, and 
all good rule. But my business is not now to make a com- 
ment upon the passions of the soul, only to show you that 
there are such, and also what they are. 

And now from this description of the Soul, what follows 
but to put you in mind what a noble, powerful, lively, sen- 
sible thing the Soul is, that by the text is supposed may be 
lost, through the heedlessness, or carelessness, or slavish 
fear of him whose soul it is ; and also to stir you up to that 
care, and labor after the salvation of your soul, that becomes 
the weight of the matter. If the Soul were a trivial thing, 
or if a man, though he lost it, might yet himself be happy, 
it were another matter ; but the loss of the soul is no small 
loss, nor can that man that has lost his soul, had he all the 
world ; yea, the whole kingdom of heaven, in his own power, 
be but in a most fearful and miserable condition. But of 
these things more in their place. 



CHAPTEE III. 

DISPROPORTION BETWEEN THE SOUL AND THE BODY. 

Having thus given you a description of the Soul, what 
it is, I shall, in the next place, show the Greatness of it. 
And the first thing that I shall take occasion to make this 
manifest by, will be by showing you the disproportion that 
is betwixt that and the body ; and I shall do it in these fol- 
lowing particulars — 

1. The body is called the house of the soul; a house for 
the soul to dwell in. Now every body knows that the house 
is much inferior to him that by Grod's ordinance is appointed 
to dwell therein. That it is called the house of the soul, you 
find in Paul to the Corinthians : " For we know," saith he, 
" if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we 
have a building of G-od, a house not made with hands, eter- 
nal in the heavens." 2 Cor. v. 1. We have, then, a house 
for our soul in this world, and this house is the body, for 
the apostle can mean nothing else ; therefore he calls it an 
earthly house. If our earthly house — our house. But who 
doth he personate, if he says, This is a house for the soul ? 
for the body is part of him that says, our house. In this 
manner of language he personates his soul with the souls 
of the rest that are saved \ and thus to do is common with 
the apostles, as will be easily discerned by them that give 
attendance to reading. " Our earthly house." Job saith, 
" houses of clay," for our bodies are bodies of clay : " Your 
remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies are bodies of 
clay. Job iv. 19 ; xiii. 12. Indeed, Paul after maketh men- 
tion of a house in heaven, but that is not it about which he 
now speaks ; now he speaks of this earthly house which we 
(40) 



CLOTHING OP THE SOUL. 41 

have (we, our souls) to dwell in, while on this side glory, 
where the other house stands as ready prepared for us when 
we shall flit from this to that, or in case this should sooner 
or later be dissolved. But that is the first ; the body is 
compared to the house, but the soul to him that inhabiteth 
the house; therefore, as the man is more noble than the 
house he dwells in, so is the soul more noble than the body. 
And yet, alas ! with grief be it spoken, how common is it 
for men to spend all their care, all their time, all their 
strength, all their wit and parts for the body, and its honor 
and preferment, even as if the soul were some poor, pitiful, 
sorry, inconsiderable underling, not worth the thinking of, 
or not worth the caring for ! But, 

2. The body is called the clothing, and the soul that 
which is clothed therewith. Now every body knows that 
the body is more than raiment, even carnal sense will teach 
us this. But read that pregnant place : " For we that are 
in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened (that is, with 
mortal flesh), not for that we would be unclothed, but 
clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life." 
Thus the greatness of the soul appears in the preference that 
it hath to the body — the body is its raiment. We see that, 
above all creatures, man, because he is the most noble among 
all visible ones, has for the adorning of his body that more 
abundant comeliness. It is the body of man, not of beast, 
that is clothed with the richest ornaments. But now what 
a thing is the soul, that the body itself must be its clothing ! 
No suit of apparel is by God thought good enough for the 
soul but that which is made by Grod himself, and that is that 
curious thing the body. But oh ! how little is this con- 
sidered — namely, the G-reatness of the Soul. It is the body, 
the clothes, the suit of apparel, that our foolish fancies are 
taken with, not at all considering the richness and excel- 
lency of that great and more noble part, the soul, for which 
the body is made a mantle to wrap it up in, a garment to 

4* 



42 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

clothe it withal. If a man gets a rent in his clothes, it is 
little in comparison of a rent in his flesh ; yea, he comforts 
himself when he looks on that rent, saying, Thanks be to 
God, it is not a rent in my flesh. But ah ! on the contrary, 
how many are there in the world that are more troubled that 
they have a rent, a wound, or a disease in the body, than 
that they have souls that will be lost and cast away ! A 
little rent in the body dejecteth and casteth such down, but 
they are not at all concerned, though their soul is now, and 
will yet further be, torn in pieces. " Now therefore con- 
sider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and 
there be none to deliver/'Psalm 1. 22. But this is the second 
thing by which the greatness of the soul appears — to wit, in 
that the body, that excellent piece of God's workmanship, is 
but a garment or clothing, for the soul. But, 

3. The body is called a vessel, or a case, for the soul to 
be put and kept in. " That every one of you should know 
how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor. " 1 
Thess. iv. 4. The apostle here doth exhort the people to 
abstain from fornication, which in another place he saith, 
" is a sin against the body." And here again he saith, 
" This is the will of God, your sanctification, that you should 
abstain from fornication, that the body be not defiled, that 
every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in 
sanctification and honor." His vessel, his earthen vessel, as 
he calls it in another place — " For we have this treasure in 
earthen vessels." Thus, then, the body is called a vessel; 
yea, every man's body is his vessel. But what has God 
prepared this vessel for, and what has he put into it ? Why, 
many things this body is to be a vessel for ; but at present 
God has put into it that curious thing, the soul. Cabinets, 
that are very rich and costly things of themselves, are not 
made nor designed to be vessels to be stuffed or filled with 
trumpery and things of no value ; no, these are prepared for 
rings and jewels, for pearls, for rubies, and things that are 



THE BODY THE TABERNACLE FOR THE SOUL. 43 

choice. And if so, what shall we then think of the Soul for 
which is prepared (and that of God) the most rich and 
excellent vessel in the world ? Snrely it must he a thing of 
worth, yea, of more worth than is the whole world besides. 
But, alas ! who believes this talk ? Do not even the most 
of men so set their minds upon, and so admire the glory of 
this case or vessel, that they forget once with seriousness to 
think, and therefore must of necessity be a great way off of 
those suitable esteems, that it becomes them to have of their 
souls ? But oh, since this vessel, this cabinet, this body, is 
so curiously made, and that to receive and contain, what 
thing is that for which God has made this vessel, and what 
is that soul that he hath put into it ? Wherefore thus, in 
the third place, is the greatness of the soul made manifest, 
even by the excellency of the vessel, the body, that God has 
made to put it in. 

4. The body is called a tabernacle for the Soul. 
" Knowing shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, that 
is, my body, by death." 2 Pet. i. 14 ; John xxi. 18, 19 ; 
2 Cor. v. 1. So again, "For we know that if our earthly 
house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building 
of God," &c. In both these places, by " tabernacle" can be 
meant nothing but the body ; wherefore both the apostles in 
these sentences do personate their souls, and speak as if the 
soul was the all of a man ; yea, they plainly tell us that the 
body is but the house, clothes, vessel, and tabernacle for the 
soul. But what a famous thing therefore is the Soul ! 

The Tabernacle of old was a place erected for Worship, but 
the worshippers were far more excellent than the place ; so 
our body is a tabernacle for t^e soul to worship G-od in, but 
must needs be accounted much inferior to the soul, foras- 
much as the worshippers are always of more honor than the 
place they worship in j as he that dwelleth in the tabernacle 
hath more honor than the tabernacle. " I serve," says Paul, 
" God and Christ Jesus with my spirit (or soul) in the gos- 



44 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

pel" (Rom. i. 9), "but not with his spirit out of, but in, this 
tabernacle. The tabernacle had instruments of worship for 
the worshippers j so has the body for the soul, and we are 
bid to " yield our members as instruments of righteousness 
unto Grod." Rom. vi. 13. The hands, the feet, ears, eyes, 
and tongue (which last is our glory, when used aright), are 
all of them instruments of this tabernacle, and to be made 
use of by the soul, the inhabiter of this tabernacle, for the 
soul's performance of the service of G-od. 

I thus discourse to show you the greatness of the soul. 
And in my opinion there is something, if not very much, 
in what I say. For all men admire the body, both for its 
manner of building and the curious way of its being com- 
pacted together. Yea, the further men, wise men, do pry 
into the wonderful work of G-od that is put forth in framing 
the body, the more still they are made to admire ; and yet, 
as I said, this body is but a house, a mantle, a vessel, a 
tabernacle for the soul. What, then, is the soul itself? 
But thus much for the first particular. 

We will now come to other things that show us the great- 
ness of the soul. 

1. It is called G-od's breath of life. " And the Lord Grod 
formed man," that is, the body, " of the dust of the ground, 
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and he 
became a living soul." G-en. ii. 7. Do but compare these two 
together, the body and the soul ; the body is made of dust, 
the soul is the breath of Grod. Now if G-od hath made this 
body so famous, as indeed he has, and yet it is made but of 
the dust of the ground, and we all do know what inferior 
matter that is, what is the soul, since the body is not only 
its house and garment, but since itself is made of the breath 
of G-od ? But further, it is not only said that the soul is of 
the breath of the Lord, but that the Lord breathed into him 
the breath of life — namely, a living spirit, for so the next 
words infer — u And man became a living soul." Man, that 



THE SOUL THE BREATH OF GOD. 45 

is, the more excellent part of him, which because it is prin- 
cipal is called Man, that hearing the denomination of the 
whole ; or man, the spirit and natural power, by which, as 
a reasonable creature, the whole of him is exerted, u became 
a living soul." But I stand not here upon definition, but 
upon demonstration. The body, that noble part of man, 
had its original from the dust ', for so says the word, " Dust 
thou art (as to thy body), and to dust shalt thou return." 
Gen. iii. 19. But as to thy more noble part, thou art from 
the breath of God, God putting forth in that a mighty 
work of creating power, " and man was made a living soul." 
1 Cor. xv. 45. Mark my reason. There is as great a dis- 
parity betwixt the body and the soul as there is between the 
dust of the ground, and that here called the breath of life 
of the Lord. And mark further, that as the dust of the 
ground did not lose, but gained glory by being formed into 
the body of a man, so this breath of the Lord lost nothing by 
being made a living soul. man ! dost thou know what 
thou art ? 

2. As the soul is said to be of the breath of God, so it is 
said to be made in God's own image, even after the simi- 
litude of God. " And God said, Let us make man in our 
image, after our likeness. So God created man in his own 
image, in the image of God created he him." Gen. i. 26, 27. 
Mark, in his own image — in the image of God created he 
him; or, as James hath it, " Who is made after the similitude 
of God" (James iii. 9), that is, like him, having that which 
beareth semblance to him. I do not read of any thing in 
heaven, or earth, or under the earth, that is said to be 
made after this manner, or that is at all so termed, save 
only the Son of God himself. The angels are noble crea- 
tures, and for present employ are made a little higher than 
Man himself (Heb. ii.) ; but that any of them are said to 
be made " after God's own image," after his own likeness, 
even after the similitude of God, that I find not. This 



46 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

character the Holy Grhost, in the Scriptures of truth, giveth 
only of man — of the soul of man; for it must not be 
thought that the body is here intended, in whole or in part. 
For though it be said that Christ was sent " in the likeness 
of sinful flesh" (Rom. viii. 3), yet it is not said that sinful 
flesh is made after the similitude of Grod. But I will not 
dispute; I only bring these things to show how great a 
thing, how noble a thing, the Soul is, in that at its creation, 
God thought it worthy to be made, not like the earth, or 
the heavens, or the angels, cherubim, seraphim, or arch- 
angels, but like himself, his own self, saying, " Let us make 
man in our own likeness. So he made man in his own 
image." This, I say, is a character above all angels; for, 
as the apostle said, " To which of the angels said he at any 
time, Thou art my Son V — so, of which of them hath he at 
any time said, This is, or shall be, made after mine image, 
mine own image ? what a thing is the soul of man, that, 
above all the creatures in heaven or earth, being made in 
the image and similitude of Grod ! 

3. Another thing by which the greatness- of the soul is 
made manifest is this — it is that (and to say this is more 
than to say, it is above all his creatures) with which the 
great G-OD desires communion. " He hath set apart him 
that is godly for himself," — that is, for communion with his 
soul. Therefore the spouse saith concerning him, " His de- 
sire is towards me" (Cant. vii. 10) ; and therefore he saith 
again, " I will dwell in them, and walk in them." 2 Cor. 
vi. 16. To "dwell in," and "walk with," are terms that 
intimate communion and fellowship. John saith, " Truly 
our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus 
Christ" (1 John i. 1-3); that is, our soul-fellowship; for it 
must not be understood of the body, though I believe that 
the body is much influenced when the soul has communion 
with Grod ; but it is the soul, and that only, that at present 
is capable of having and maintaining this blessed commu- 



THE SOUL THE HIGHEST BORN. 47 

nion. But, I say, what a thing is this that God, the great 
God, should choose to have fellowship and communion with 
the soul above all ! We read indeed of the greatness of the 
angels, and how near also they are to God ; but yet there 
are not such terms to bespeak familiar acts between God and 
angels as to demonstrate that they have such communion 
with God as the souls of his people may have. Where has 
he called them his love, his dove, his fair one ? and where, 
when he speaketh of them, doth he express a communion 
that they have with him by the similitude of conjugal love ? 
I speak of what is revealed ; the secret things belong to the 
Lord our God. Now, by all this is manifest the greatness 
of the soul. Men of greatness and honor, if they have 
respect to their own glory, will not choose for their familiars 
the base and rascally crew of this world, but will single out 
for their fellowship, and communion, those that are most 
like themselves. True, the king has not an equal, yet he 
is for being familiar only with the nobles of the land ; so 
God, with him none can compare ; yet since the soul is by 
him singled out for his walking mate and companion, it is a 
sign it is the highest born, and that upon which the blessed 
Majesty looks, as most meet to be singled out for communion 
with himself. 

Should we see a man familiar with the king, we would, 
even of ourselves, conclude he is one of the nobles of the 
land. True, this is not the lot of every soul. Some have 
fellowship with devils, not because they have a more base 
original than those that lie in God's bosom, but they, 
through sin, are degenerate, and have chosen to be great 
with his enemy. But all these things show the greatness 
of the soul. 

4. The souls of men are such as God counts worthy to 
be the vessels to hold his grace — the graces of the Spirit 
in. The graces of the Spirit — what like them, or where here 
are they to be found, save in the souls of men only ? " Of 



48 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." Re- 
ceived, into what ? into the hidden part, as David calls it. 
Hence the king's daughter is said to be "all glorious 
within" (Psalm xlv. 13), because adorned and beautified 
with the graces of the Spirit. For that which David calls 
the hidden part, is the inmost part of the soul ; and it is 
therefore called the hidden part, because the soul is invisi- 
ble, nor can any one living infallibly know what is in the 
soul but God himself. But I say, the soul is the vessel into 
which this golden oil is poured, and that which holds, and 
is accounted worthy to exercise and improve the same. 
Therefore it is the soul which is said to love God, Cant. iii. 
1—4, " Saw ye him whom my soul loveth V And therefore 
the soul is that which exerciseth the spirit of prayer. ""With 
my soul have I desired thee in the night, and with my spirit 
within me will I seek thee early." Isa. xxvi. 9. With the 
soul also men are said to believe, and into the soul G-od is 
said to put his fear. This is the vessel into which the wise 
virgins got oil, and out of which their lamps were supplied 
by the same. But what a thing, what a great thing there- 
fore is the Soul, that that above all things which God hath 
created, should be the chosen vessel to put his grace in ! 
The body is the vessel for the soul, and the soul is the vessel 
for the grace of God. But, 

5. The greatness of the soul is manifest by the great- 
ness of the price that Christ paid for it to make it an heir 
of glory ; and that was his precious blood ; 1 Cor. vi. 20 ; 
1 Peter i. 18, 19. We use to esteem things according to 
the price that is given for them, especially when we are 
convinced that the purchase has not been made by the esti- 
mation of a fool. Now the Soul is purchased by a price 
that the Son, the wisdom of God, thought fit to pay for the 
redemption thereof — what a thing then is the soul ! Judge 
of the soul by the price that is paid for it, and you must 
needs confess (unless you count the blood that hath bought 



THE SOUL IMMORTAL. 49 

it an unholy thing) that it cannot but be of great worth and 
value. Suppose a prince, or some great man, should on a 
sudden descend from his throne, or chair of state, to take 
up, that he might put in his bosom, something that he had 
espied lying trampled under the feet of those that stand by ; 
would you think that he would do this for an old horse-shoe, 
or for so trivial a thing as a pin or a point ? Nay, would you 
not even of yourselves conclude that that thing for which 
the prince, so great a man, should make such a stoop, must 
needs be a thing of very great worth ? Why, this is the 
case of Christ and the soul. Christ is the prince, his throne 
is in heaven, and as he sat there he espied the souls of sin- 
ners trampled under the foot of the law and death for sin. 
Now what doth he, but comes down from his throne, stoops 
down to the earth, and there, since he could not have the 
trodden-down souls without price, he lays down his life and 
blood for them. 2 Cor. viii. 9. But would he have done this 
for inconsiderable things ? No, nor for the souls of sinners 
neither, had he not valued them higher than he valued hea- 
ven and earth besides. This, therefore, is another thing by 
which the greatness of the soul is known. 

6. The soul is immortal ; it will have a sensible being 
for ever. None can kill the soul. Luke xii. 4 ; Matt. x. 28. 
If all the angels in heaven, and all the men on earth, should 
lay all their strength together, they cannot kill or annihilate 
one soul. No ; I will speak without fear. If it may be said, 
God cannot do what he will not do ; then he cannot annihi- 
late the soul; but notwithstanding all his wrath, and the 
vengeance that he will inflict on sinful souls, they yet shall 
abide with sensible beings, yet to endure, yet to bear pun- 
ishment. If any thing could kill the soul, it would be 
death ; but death cannot do it, neither the first nor the se- 
cond. The first cannot ; for when Dives was slain as to his 
body by death, his soul was found alive in hell — " He lift 
up his eyes in hell, being in torment." Luke xvi. 22, 23. 

5 



50 THE GREATNESS OE THE SOUL. 

The second death cannot do it, because it is said their worm 
never dies, but is always torturing them with his gnawing. 
3Iark is. But that could not be, if time, or lying in hell- 
fire for ever, could annihilate the soul. Xow this also shows 
the greatness of the soul, that it is that which has an endless 
life, and that will therefore have a being endlessly. It can- 
not be said of any angel but that he is immortal, and so it 
is and ought to be said of the soul. what a thing is 
the soul ! 

The soul then is immortal, though not eternal. That is 
eternal which has neither beginning nor end. and therefore 
eternal is properly applicable to none but God ; hence he is 
called the " eternal God." Deut. xxxiii. 27. Immortal is 
that which, though it hath a beginning, yet hath no end : it 
cannot die, nor cease to be. And this is the state of the 
soul. It cannot cease to have a being when it is once cre- 
ated; I mean, a living, sensible being. For I mean by 
living, only such a being as distinguishes it from anni- 
hilation, or incapableness of sense and feeling. Hence, as 
the rich man is after death said to *• lift up his eyes in hell," 
so the beggar is said, when he died, "to be carried by the 
angels into Abraham's bosom." Lake xvi. 22, 23. And 
both these sayings must have respect to the souls of these 
men ; for as for their bodies, we know at present it is other- 
wise with them. The grave is their house, and so must be 
till the trumpet shall sound, and the heavens pass away like 
a scroll. 

Xow, I say, the immortality of the soul shows the great- 
ness of it. as the eternity of God shows the greatness of God. 
This therefore shows the greatness of the soul, in that it is 
as to abiding so like unto him. 

7. But a word or two more, and so to conclude this head. 
The Soul ! — why, it is the soul that actuateth the body in all 
those things that seem good and reasonable, or amazingly 
wicked. True, the acts and emotions of the soul are only 



THE SOUL THE LIFE OF THE BODY. 51 

seen and heard in the members and motions of the body, 
but the body is but a poor instrument, the soul is the great 
agitator and actor. " The body without the spirit is dead." 
James ii. 26. All those famous arts, and works, and inven- 
tions of works, that are done by men under heaven, they are 
all the inventions of the Soul ; and the body as acting and 
laboring therein, is but as a tool that the soul maketh use 
of to bring his invention unto maturity. Eccles. vii. 9. How 
many things have men found out to the amazing of one an- 
other, to the wonderment of one another, to the begetting 
of endless commendations of one another in the world; 
while in the mean time the Soul, which indeed is the true 
inventor of all, is overlooked, not regarded, but dragged up 
and down by every lust, and prostrated and made a slave to 
every silly and beastly thing. the amazing darkness that 
hath covered the face of the hearts of the children of men, 
that they cannot deliver their soul, nor say, Is there not a 
lie in my right hand ? though they are so cunning in all 
other matters. Isa. xliv. 20. Take Man in matters that are 
abroad, and far from home, and he is the mirror of all the 
world ; but take him at home, and put him upon things that 
are near him, I mean, that have respect to the things that 
concern his soul, and then you will find him the greatest 
fool that ever Grod made. But this must not be applied to 
the soul simply as it is G-od's creature, but to the soul sin- 
ful ; as it has willingly apostatized from God, and so suf- 
fered itself to be darkened, and that with such thick and 
stupifying darkness, that it is bound up and cannot see ; it 
hath a napkin of sin bound so close before its eyes, that it 
is not able of itself to look at and after those things which 
should be its chief concern, and without which it will be 
most miserable for ever. 

8. Further, as the soul is thus curious about arts and 
sciences, and about every excellent thing of this life, so it 
is capable of having to do with invisibles, with angels, good 



52 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

or "bad, yea, with the highest and supreme Being, even with 
the holy God of heaven. I told you before that God sought 
the soul of man, to have it for his companion ; and now I tell 
you that the soul is capable of communion with him, when 
the darkness that sin hath spread over its face is removed. 
The soul is an intelligent power, it can be made to know and 
understand depths, and heights, and lengths, and breadths, 
in those high, sublime, and spiritual mysteries that only God 
can reveal and teach ; yea, it is capable of diving unuttera- 
bly into them. And herein is God, the God of glory, much 
delighted and pleased — namely, that he hath made himself 
a creature that is capable of hearing, of knowing, and of un- 
derstanding his mind when opened and revealed to it. — I 
think I may say, without offence to God or man, that one 
reason why God made the world was, that he might mani- 
fest himself, not only by, but to the works which he made ; 
but (I speak with reverence) how could that be, if he did 
not also make some of his creatures capable of apprehending 
him in those most high mysteries and methods in which he 
purposed to reveal himself? But then, what are those crea- 
tures which he hath made (unto whom when these things 
are shown) that are able to take them in and understand 
them, and so to improve them to God's glory, as he hath or- 
dained and purposed they should, but souls ? for none else in 
the visible world are capable of doing this but they. — And 
hence it is that to them, and them only, he beginneth to 
reveal himself in this world. — And hence it is that they, 
and they only, are gathered up to him where he is; for 
they are they that are called the spirits of just men made 
perfect. Heb. xii. 23. The spirit of a beast goeth down- 
ward to the earth ; it is the spirit of a man that goes up- 
wards to God that gave it. Eccles. iii. 21; xii. 7. — That, 
and that only, is capable of beholding and understanding the 
glorious visions of heaven ; as Christ said, " Father, I will 
that those whom thou hast given me, be with me where I 






CAPABILITY OF THE SOUL. 53 

am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given 
me ; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." 
John xvii. 24. And thus the greatness of the soul is mani- 
fest. True, the body is also gathered up into glory, but 
not simply for its own sake, or because that is capable of 
itself to know and understand the glories of its Maker ; but 
that it has been a companion with the soul in this world, has 
also been its house, its mantle, its cabinet and tabernacle 
here; it has also been that by which the soul hath acted, in 
which it hath wrought, and by which its excellent appear- 
ances have been manifested ; and it shall also there be its 
co-partner, and sharer in its glory. Wherefore, as the body 
here did partake of the soul's excellences, and was also con- 
formed to its spiritual and regenerate principles, so it shall 
be hereafter a partaker of that glory with which the soul 
shall be filled, and also be made suitable by that glory to 
become a partaker and co-partner with it of the eternal ex- 
cellences which heaven will put upon it. In this world it 
is a gracious soul (I speak now of the regenerate), and in 
that world it shall be a glorious one ; in this world the body 
was conformable to the soul as it was gracious, and in that 
world it shall be conformable to it as it is glorious; con- 
formable, I say, by partaking of that glory which the soul 
shall then partake of; yea, it shall also have an additional 
glory, to adorn, and make it yet the more capable of being 
serviceable to it and with it, in its great acts before God in 
eternal glory. 

what great things are the souls of the sons of men ! 

9. But again, as the soul is thus capable of enjoying God 
in glory, and of prying into these mysteries that are in him, 
so it is capable with great profundity to dive into the mys- 
terious depths of hell. Hell is a place and state utterly 
unknown to any in this visible world, excepting the souls 
of men ; nor shall any for ever be capable of understanding 
the miseries thereof, but souls and fallen angels. Now I 

5* 



54 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

think j as the joys of heaven stand not only in speculation, 
or in beholding of glory, but in a sensible enjoyment and 
unspeakable pleasure which these glories will yield to the 
soul (Psalm xv. 11), so the torments of hell will not stand 
in the present lashes and strokes with which by the flames 
of eternal fire G-od will scourge the ungodly; but the tor- 
ments of hell stand much, if not in the greatest part of them, 
in those deep thoughts and apprehensions which souls in the 
next world will have of the nature and occasions of sin, of 
G-od, and of separation from him ; of the eternity of those 
miseries, and of the utter impossibility of their help, ease, 
or deliverance for ever. 0, damned souls will have thoughts 
that will clash with glory, clash with justice, clash with law, 
clash with itself, clash with hell, and with the everlasting- 
ness of misery; but the point, the edge, and the poison of 
all these thoughts will still be galling, and dropping their 
stings into the sore, wounded, and fretted place, which is 
the conscience; though not the conscience only; for I may 
say of the souls in hell, that they all over are but one wound, 
one sore. Miseries as well as mercies sharpen and make 
quick the apprehensions of the soul. Behold Spira in his 
book, Cain in his guilt, and Saul with the witch of Endor, 
and you shall see men ripened, men enlarged and greatened 
in their fancies, imaginations, and apprehensions, though 
not about G-od, and heaven, and glory, yet about their loss, 
their misery, their woe, and their hells. Isa. xxxiii. 14; 
Psalm 1. 3 ; Rev. xiv. 10; Mark ix. 44, 46. 

10. Not doth their ability to bear (if it be proper to say 
they bear) those griefs which there for ever they shall 
endure, a little demonstrate their greatness. Everlasting 
burning, devouring fire, perpetual pains, gnawing worms, 
utter darkness, and the ireful words, face, and strokes of 
divine and infinite justice, will not, cannot make this soul 
extinct, as I said before. I think it is not so proper to say 
the soul that is damned for sin doth bear these things, as 



THE SOUL AND BODY IN HELL. 55 

to say it doth ever sink under them ; and therefore their 
place of torment is called the bottomless pit, because they 
are ever sinking, and shall never come there where they 
will find any stay. Yet they live, under wrath, but only 
so as to be sensible of it, as to smart and be in perpetual 
anguish by reason of the intolerableness of their burden. 
But doth not their thus living, abiding, and retaining a 
being (or what you will call it), demonstrate the greatness 
and might of the soul ? Alas ! heaven and earth are short 
of this greatness, for these, though under less judgment by 
far, do fade and wax old like a moth-eaten garment, and in 
their time will vanish away to nothing. Heb. i. 10-12. 

Also we see how quickly the body, when the soul is 
under a fear of the rebukes of justice, how soon, I say, it 
wastes, moulders away, and crumbles into the grave; but 
the soul is yet strong, and abides sensible, to be dealt with 
for sin by everlasting burnings. 

11. The soul by God'3 ordinance (Heb. ix. 27), while 
this world lasts, has a time appointed it to forsake and 
leave the body to be turned again to the dust as it was, and 
this separation is made by death. Therefore the body must 
cease for a time to have sense, or life, or motion ; and a 
little thing brings it now into this state. But in the next 
world the wicked shall partake of none of this; for the 
body and the soul being at the resurrection rejoined, this 
death that once did rend them asunder is for ever over- 
come and extinct; so that these two which lived in sin 
must for ever be yoked together in hell. Now there the 
soul being joined to the body, and death, which before did 
separate them, being utterly taken away, the soul retains not 
only its own being, but also continueth the body to be, and 
to suffer sensibly the pains of hell without those decays that 
it used to sustain. 

And the reason why this death shall then be taken away 
is, because justice in its bestowing its rewards for trans~ 



56 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

gressions may not be interrupted (Matt. x. 28), but that 
body and soul, as they lived and acted in sin together, might 
be destroyed for sin in hell together (Luke xii. 5) ; de- 
stroyed, I say, but with such a destruction as though it is 
everlasting, will not put a period to their sensibly suffering 
the vengeance of eternal fire. 2 Thess. i. 8, 9. 

This death, therefore, though that also be the wages of 
sin, would now, were it suffered to continue, be a hindrance 
to the making known fully the wrath of God, and also the 
created power and might of the soul. 1. It would hinder 
the making known the wrath of God ; for it would take the 
body out of the way, and make it incapable of sensible suf- 
fering for sin, and so, removing one of the objects of ven- 
geance, the power of God's wrath would be so far undis- 
covered. 2. It would also hinder the manifestation of the 
power and might of the soul, which are discovered much by 
its abiding to retain its own being, while the wrath of God 
is grappling with it, and more by its continuing to the body 
a sensible being with itself. 

Death, therefore, must now be removed, that the soul 
may be made the object of wrath without molestation or 
interruption. That the soul, did I say? yea, that soul and 
body both, might be so. Death would now be a favor, 
though once the fruit of sin, and also the wages thereof, 
might it now be suffered to continue, because it would ease 
the soul of some of its burden ; for a tormented body cannot 
but be a burden to a spirit, and so the wise man insinuates 
when he says, "The spirit of a man will sustain his in- 
firmity;" that is, bear up under it, but yet so as that it feels 
it a burden. We see daily, because of the sympathy that is 
between body and soul, how one is burdened if the other be 
grieved. A sick body is a burden to the soul, and a 
wounded spirit is a burden to the body; "a wounded spirit 
who can bear?" Now death must not remove this burden; 
but the soul must have the body for a burden, and the 



BURDEN UPON THE SOUL. 57 

body must have the soul for a burden, and both must have 
the wrath of God for a burden. Oh, therefore, here will be 
burden upon burden, and all upon the soul, for the soul will 
be the chief seat of this burden. But thus much to show 
you the greatness of the soul. 



CHAPTEK IV. 

WHAT THE LOSS OF THE SOUL IS. 

I SHALL now come to the third thing which was pro- 
pounded to be spoken of, and that is, to show you what we 
are to understand by losing the soul, or what the loss of the 
soul is. " What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" 

First, The loss of the Soul is a loss, in the nature of it, 
peculiar to itself. There is no such loss as to the nature 
of it, as is the loss of the soul, for he that hath lost his soul, 
has lost himself. In all other losses it is possible for a man 
to save himself, but he that loseth his soul, loseth himself 
— "For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole 
world, and lose himself?" Luke ix. 25. Wherefore, the 
loss of the soul is a loss that cannot be paralleled. He that 
loseth himself loseth his all, his lasting all, for himself is his 
all, his all in the most comprehensive sense. What matter- 
eth it what a man gets, if by the getting thereof he loseth 
himself? Suppose a man goeth to the Indies for gold, and 
he loadeth his ship therewith, but at his return, that sea that 
carried him thither swallows him up — now what has he got ? 
Yet this is but a lean similitude with reference to the matter 
in hand — namely, to set forth the loss of the soul. Sup- 
pose a man that has been at the Indies for gold, should at 
his return himself be taken by them of Algiers, and there 
made a slave, and there be hunger-bit, and beaten till his 
bones are broken, what has he got ? what is he advantaged 
by his rich adventure ? Perhaps you will say, he has got 
gold enough to obtain his ransom. Indeed this may be, and 
therefore no similitude can be found that can fully exem- 
plify the matter, "for what shall a man give in exchange 
(58) 



ITS LOSS LIKE NO OTHER LOSS. 59 

for his soul?" It is a loss that stands by itself, there is not 
another like it, or to which it may be compared ; it is only 
like itself, it is singular, it is the chief of all losses, the 
highest, the greatest loss. " For what shall a man give in- 
exchange for his soul?" A man may lose his wife, his 
children, his estate, his liberty, and his life, and have all 
made up again, and have all restored with advantage, and 
may therefore, notwithstanding all these losses, be far 
enough off from losing himself (Luke xiv. 25; Mark viii. 
■35), for he may lose his life, and save it; yea, sometimes 
the only way to save that, is to lose it; but when a man has 
lost himself, his soul, then all is gone to all intents and pur- 
poses. There is no word says, he that loses his soul shall 
save it; but, contrariwise, the text supposeth that a man 
has lost his soul, and then demands if any can answer it — 
u What shall a man give in exchange for his soul V All, 
then, that he gains that loseth his soul is only this, he has 
gained a loss, he has purchased the loss of losses, he has 
nothing left him now but his loss, but the loss of himself, 
of his whole self ! He that loseth his life for Christ shall 
save it; but he that loseth himself for sin, and for the world, 
shall lose himself to perfection of loss ; he has lost himself, 
and there is the full point. 

There are several things fall under this first head, upon 
which I would touch a little. 

1. He that has lost his soul, has lost himself. Now he 
that has lost himself, is no more at Ms own disposal. While 
a man enjoys himself, he is at his own disposal. A single 
man, a free man, a rich man, a poor man, any man that en- 
joys himself, is at his own disposal. I speak after the man- 
ner of men. But he that has lost himself is not at his own 
disposal. He is, as I may say, now out of his own hands; 
he has lost himself, his soul-self, his ownself, his whole self, 
by sin, and wrath and hell have found him ; he is therefore 
now no more at his own disposal, but at the disposal of jus- 



60 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

tice, of wrath, and hell; he is committed to prison, to hell- 
prison, there to abide, not at pleasure, not as long and as 
little time as he will, but the term appointed by his judge; 
nor may he there choose his own affliction, neither for man- 
ner, measure, nor continuance. It is G-od that will spread 
the fire and brimstone under him. It is Gi-od that will pile up 
wrath upon him, and it is Grod himself that will blow the 
fire. " And the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brim- 
stone, doth kindle it." Isaiah xxx. 33. And thus it is 
manifest that he that has lost himself, his soul is no more at 
his own dispcsal, but at the disposal of them that find him. 

2. Again, as he that hath lost himself is not at his own 
disposal, so neither is Tie at liberty to dispose of what he 
has; for the man that has lost himself has something yet of 
his own. The text implies that his soul is his when lost, 
yea, when that and his all, himself, is lost ; but as he can- 
not dispose of himself, so he cannot dispose of what he hath. 
Let me take leave to make out my meaning. If he that is 
lost, that has lost himself, has not, notwithstanding, some- 
thing that in some sense may be called his own, then he 
that is lost has nothing. The man that is in hell, has yet the 
powers, the senses, and passions of his soul ; for not he nor 
his soul must be thought to be stripped of these ; for then 
he would be lower than the brute; but yet all these since 
he is there, are by G-od employed against himself; or, if 
you will, the point of this man's sword is turned against his 
own heart, and made to pierce his own liver. 

The soul by being in hell loseth nothing of its aptness to 
think, its quickness to pierce, to pry, and to understand; 
nay, hell has ripened it in all these things; but, I say, the 
soul with its improvements as to these, or any thing else, is 
not in the hand of him that hath lost himself to manage for 
his own advantage, but in the hand, and in the power, and to 
be disposed of as is thought meet by him into whose reveng- 
ing hand by sin he has delivered himself — namely, in the 



THE LOST SOUL ITS OWN TORMENTOR. 61 

hand of God. So, then, God now has the victory, and dis- 
poseth of all the powers, senses, and passions of the soul for 
the chastising of him that has lost himself. Now the un- 
derstanding is only employed about the apprehending of 
such things as will be like daggers at the heart — namely, 
about justice, sin, hell, and eternity, to grieve and break the 
spirit of the damned; yea, to break, and to tear the soul in 
pieces. The depths of sin which the man has loved, the 
good nature of God whom the man has hated, the blessings 
of eternity which the soul has despised, shall now be under- 
stood by him more than ever, but yet so only as to increase 
grief and sorrow, by employing the good and the evil of the 
things understood, to the greater wounding of the spirit. 
Wherefore now, every touch that the understanding shall 
give to the memory will be as a touch of a red-hot iron, or 
like a draught of scalding lead poured down the throat. 
The memory also letteth these things down upon the con- 
science with no less terror and perplexity. And now the 
fancy or imagination doth start and stare like a man by fears 
bereft of wits, and doth exercise itself, or rather is exercised 
by the hand of revenging justice, so about the breadth and 
depth of present and future punishments, as to lay the soul 
as on a burning rack. Now also the judgment, as with a 
mighty maul, driveth clown the soul in the sense and pangs 
of everlasting misery into that pit that has no bottom; yea, 
it turneth again, and, as with a hammer, it riveteth every 
fearful thought and apprehension of the soul so fast that it 
can never be loosed again for ever and ever. Alas ! now 
the conscience can sleep, be dull, be misled, or flattered no 
longer: no, it must now cry out; understanding will make 
it, memory will make it, fancy or imagination will make it. 
Now, I say, it will cry out of sin, of justice, and of the ter- 
ribleness of the punishment that hath swallowed him up 
that hath lost himself. Here will be no forgetfulness ; yet 
nothing shall be thought on but that which will wound 

6 



62 THE GREATNESS OP THE SOEL. 

and kill; here will be no time, cause, or means for diver- 
sion ; all Trill stick and gnaw like a riper. Xow the me- 
mory will go out to where sin was heretofore committed, it 
will also go out to the word that did forbid it. The under- 
standing also, and the judgment too. will now consider of 
the pretended necessity that the man had to break the com- 
mandments of G-od, and of the seasonableness of the cautions 
and of the convictions which were given him to forbear, by 
all which more load will be laid upon him that has lost 
himself. For here all the powers, senses, and passions of the 
soul must be made self-burners, self-tormentors, self-execu- 
tioners, by the just judgment of G-od. Also all that the will 
shall do in this place shall be but to wish for ease ; but the 
wish shall be such as shall only seem to lift up; for the 
cable-rope of despair shall with violence pull him down 
again. The will indeed will wish for ease, and so will the 
mind, &c. ; but all these wishers will by wishing arrive to no 
more advantage but to make despair, which is the most 
twinging stripe of hell, to cut yet deeper into the whole soul 
of him that has lost himself; wherefore, after all that can 
be wished for, they return again to their burning chair, 
where they sit and bewail their misery. 

Thus will all the powers, senses, and passions of the soul 
of him that has lost himself, be out of his own power to dis- 
pose of for his advantage, and will be only in the hand and 
under the management of the revenging justice of G-od. 
And herein will that state of the damned be worse than it 
is now with the fallen angels ; for though the fallen angels 
are now cast down to hell, in chains, and sure in themselves 
at last to partake of eternal judgment, yet at present 
(Job i. ~ ; ii. 2) they are not so bound up as the damned 
sinners shall be; for notwithstanding their chains, and their 
being the prisoners of the horrible hells, yet they have a 
kind of liberty granted them, and that liberty will last till 
the time appointed, to tempt, to plot, to contrive, and invent 



FIXED MISERY OF THE LOST. 63 

their mischiefs against the Son of God and his. And 
though Satan knows that this at last will work for his future 
condemnation, yet at present he finds it some diversion to 
his trembling mind, and obtains, through so busily employ- 
ing himself against the gospel and its professors, something 
to sport and refresh himself withal; yea, and doth procure 
to himself some small crumbs of minutes of forgetfulness of 
his own present misery, and of the judgment that is yet to 
pass upon him. But this privilege will then be denied to him 
that has lost himself; there will be no cause nor matter for 
diversion ; there it will, as in the old world, rain day and 
night fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven upon 
them (Rev. xiv. 10, 11) ; misery is fixed ; the worm will 
be always sucking, and gnawing their soul; also, as I have 
said afore, all the powers, senses, and passions of the soul 
will throw their darts inwards, (yea, of God will be made to 
do it), to the utter, unspeakable, and endless torment of him 
that has lost himself. Again, 

3. All therefore that he that has lost himself can do is, 
to sit down by the loss. Do I say, he can do this ? — oh ! 
if that could be, it would be to such a mercy. I must 
therefore here correct myself, — that he cannot do; for to sit 
down by the loss implies a patient enduring; but there 
will be no such grace as patience in hell with him that has 
lost himself; here will also want a bottom for patience — 
namely, the providence of God; for a providence of God, 
though never so dismal, is a bottom for patience to the 
afflicted ; but men go not to hell by providence, but by sin. 
Now sin being the cause, other effects are wrought; for 
they that go to hell, and that there miserably perish, shall 
never say it was God by his providence that brought them 
thither, and so shall not have that on which to lean and 
stay themselves. 

They shall justify God, and lay the fault upon them- 
selves, concluding that it was sin with which their souls 



64 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

did voluntarily work; yea, which their souls did suck in 
as sweet milk, that is the cause of this their torment. Now 
this will work after another manner, and will produce quite 
another thing than patience, or a patient enduring of their 
torment ; for their seeing that they are not only lost, but 
have lost themselves, and that against the ordinary means 
that of Grod was provided to prevent that loss ; yea, when 
they shall see what a base thing sin is, how it is the very 
worst of things, and that which also makes all things bad, 
and that for the sake of that they have lost themselves, this 
will make them fret, and gnash, and gnaw themselves with 
anger j this will set all the passions of the soul, save love 
(for that I think will be stark dead), all in a rage, all in a 
self-tormenting fire. You know there is nothing that will 
sooner put a man into, and maintain his rage against 
himself, than will a full conviction in his conscience that 
by his own folly only, and that against caution, and counsel, 
and reason to the contrary, he hath brought himself into ex- 
treme distress and misery. But how much more will it make 
this fire burn, when he shall see all this is come upon him for 
a toy, for a bauble, for a thing that is worse than nothing ! 
Why, this is the case with him that has lost himself; 
and therefore he cannot sit down by the loss, cannot be at 
quiet under the sense of his loss. For sharply and most 
piercingly, considering the loss of himself, and the cause 
thereof, which is sin, he falls to tearing himself in pieces 
with thoughts as hot as the coals of juniper, and to gnashing 
upon himself for this. Also the divine wisdom and justice 
of Grod helpeth on this self-tormenter in his self-tormenting 
work, by holding the justice of the law against which he 
has offended, and the unreasonableness of such offence, con- 
tinually before his face. For if to an enlightened man who 
is in the door of hope, the sight of all past evil practices will 
work in him vexation of spirit to see what a fool he was 
(Eccl. i. 14) ; how can it but be to them that go to hell a 



THE LOSS OF THE SOUL A DOUBLE LOSS. 65 

vexation only to understand the report, the report that God 
did give them of sin, of his grace, of hell, and of everlasting 
damnation (Isa. xxviii. 19), and yet that they should be 
such fools to go thither. But to pursue this head no further, 
I will come now to the next thing. 

Secondly , As the loss of the soul is, in the nature of the 
loss, a loss peculiar to itself, so the loss of the soul is a 
double loss; it is, I say, a loss that is double, a loss both by 
man and God ; man has lost it, and by that loss has lost 
himself; God has lost it, and by that loss it is cast away. 
And to make this a little plainer unto you; I suppose it 
will be readily granted that men do lose their souls. But 
now how doth God lose them ? The soul is God's as well as 
man's (Jer. xxxviii. 16 ; Ezek. xviii. 4) ; man's, because it 
is of himself; God's, because it is his creature; God has 
made us this soul, and hence it is that all souls are his. 

Now the loss of the soul doth not only stand in the sin 
of man, but in the justice of God. Hence he says, " What 
is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose 
himself, or be cast away?" Luke ix. 25. Now this last 
clause, " or be cast away," is not spoken to show what he 
that has lost his soul has done (though a man may also be 
said to cast away himself), but to show what God will do to 
those that have lost themselves, what God will add to that 
loss. God will not cast away a righteous man, but God will 
cast away the wicked (Job viii. 20 ; Matt. xiii. 48), such a 
wicked one as by the text is under our consideration. This, 
then, is that which God will add, and so make the sad state 
of them that lose themselves double. The man for sin has 
lost himself, and God by justice will cast him away ; ac- 
cording to that saying of Abigail to David — " The soul of 
my Lord," said she, " shall be bound in the bundle of life 
with the Lord thy God ; and the souls of thine enemies, 
them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling." 
1 Sam. xxv. 29. So that here is God's hand as well as 

6* 



66 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

man's ; man's by sin, and Grod's by justice. u Grod shall cast 
them away;" wherefore in the text above mentioned he doth 
not say, " or cast away himself/' as meaning the act of the 
man whose soul is lost; but, "or be cast away," supposing 
a second person joining with the man himself in the making 
up of the greatness of the loss of the soul — namely, Grod 
himself, who will verily cast away that man who has lost 
himself. Grod shall cast them away — that is, exclude them 
from his favor or protection, and deliver them up to the due 
reward of their deeds ! He shall shut them out of his 
heaven, and deliver them up to their hell; he shall deny 
them a share in his glory, and shall leave them to their own 
shame ; he shall deny them a portion in his peace, and 
shall deliver them up to the torments of the devil, and of 
their own guilty conscience's ; he shall cast them out of his 
affection, pity, and compassion, and shall leave them to the 
flames that they by sin have kindled, and to the worm, or 
biting cockatrice, that they themselves have hatched, nursed, 
and nourished in their bosoms. And this will make their 
loss double, and so a loss that is loss to the uttermost, a loss 
above every loss. A man may cast away himself, and not 
be cast away of Grod ; a man may be cast away by others, 
and not be cast away of G-od ; yea, what way soever a man 
be cast away, if he be not cast away for sin, he is safe, he 
is yet sound, and in a sure hand. But for a man so to lose 
himself as by that loss to provoke Grod to cast him away 
too, this is fearful. 

The casting away, then, mentioned in Luke is a casting 
away by the hand of Grod, by the revenging hand of G-od; 
and it supposeth two things — 1. Grod's abhorrence of such a 
soul. 2. Grod's just repaying it for its wickedness by way 
of retaliation. 

1. It supposeth God's abhorrence of the soul. That 
which we abhor, that we cast from us, and put out of 
our favor and respect with disdain, and a loathing thereof. 



THE LOST SOUL CAST AWAY FROM GOD. 67 

So when God teacheth Israel to loath and abhor their idols, 
he bids them " to cast away their very covering, as a stinking 
and menstruous cloth, and to say unto it, G-et you hence. " 
Isa. xxx. 22. " He shall gather the good into vessels, and 
cast the bad away." Matt. xiii. 48 ; xxv. 41. " Cast them out," 
he says, " of my presence." Well, but whither must they go ? 
The answer is, Into hell, "into utter darkness," "into the fire 
that is prepared for the devil and his angels." Wherefore, to 
be cast away of God, it showeth unto us God's abhorrence 
of such souls, and how vile and loathsome such are in his 
divine eyes. And the similitude of Abigail's sling, men- 
tioned before, doth yet further show us the greatness of this 
abhorrence — " The souls of thine enemies," said she, " God 
shall sling out, as out of the middle of a sling." When a 
man casts a stone away with a sling, then he casteth it fur- 
thest from him, for with a sling he can cast a stone further 
than by his hand. "And he," saith the text, "shall cast 
them away as with a sling." But that is not all, neither; 
for it is not only said that he shall sling away their souls, 
but that he shall sling them away as " out of the middle of 
a sling." When a stone is placed to be cast away just in 
the middle of a sling, then doth the slinger cast it furthest 
of all. Now God is the slinger, abhorrence is his sling, the 
lost soul is the stone, and it is placed in the very middle of 
the sling, and is from thence cast away. And therefore it 
is said again that " such shall go into utter, outer darkness" 
— that is, furthest off of all. This, therefore, shows us how 
God abhors that man, that for sin has lost himself. And 
well he may; for such an one has not only polluted and de- 
filed himself with sin (and that is the most offensive thing 
to God under heaven), but he has abused the handiwork of 
God. The soul, as I said before, is the workmanship of 
God, yea, the top-piece that he hath made in all the visible 
world ; also he made it for to be delighted with it, and to 
admit it into communion with himself. Now for man thus 



08 THE GREATNESS OE THE SOUL. 

to abuse Gk>d; for a man to take his soul, which is Good's, 
and prostrate it to sin, to the world, to the devil, and every 
beastly lust, flat against the command of Grod, and notwith- 
standing the soul was also his, this is horrible, and calls 
aloud upon that Grod whose soul this is, to abhor, and to 
show, by all means possible, his abhorrence of such an one. 

2. As this casting of them away supposeth God's abhor- 
rence of them, so it supposeth Gi-od's just repaying them for 
their wickedness by way of retaliation. 

Grod all the time of the exercise of his long-suffering and 
forbearance towards them did call upon them, wait upon 
them, send after them by his messengers, to turn them from 
their evil ways; but "they despised, they mocked, the 
messengers of the Lord." 2 Chron. xxxvi. 16. Also they 
shut their eyes, and would not see; they stopped their ears, 
and would not understand; and did harden themselves 
against the beseeching of their Grod. Horn. x. 21 ; Job xxi. 
14, 15; Mai. iii. 14. Yea, all that day long he did stretch 
out his hand towards them, but they chose to be a rebellious 
and gainsaying people; yea, they said unto Glod, Depart from 
us; and what is the Almighty that we should pray unto 
him? 

And of all these things Grod takes notice, writes them 
down, and seals them up for the time to come, and will 
bring them out, and spread them before them, saying, I 
have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out 
mine hand, and no man regarded ; I have exercised patience, 
and gentleness, and long-suffering towards you, and in all 
that time you despised me, and cast me behind your back ; 
and now the time, and the exercise of my patience, when I 
waited upon you, and suffered your manners, and did bear 
your contempts and scorn, is at an end ; wherefore I will 
now arise, and come forth to the judgment that I have ap- 
pointed. 

But, Lord, saith the sinner, we turn now. 



69 

}' 

But now, saith God, turning is out of season ; the day of 
my patience is ended. 

But, Lord, says the sinner, behold our cries. 

But you did not, says God, behold nor regard my cries. 

But, Lord, saith the sinner, let our beseeching find place 
in thy compassions. 

But, saith God, I also beseeched, and I was not heard. 

But, Lord, says the sinner, our sins lie hard upon us. 

But I offered you pardon when time was, says God, and 
then you did utterly reject it. 

But, Lord, says the sinner, let us therefore have it now. 

But now the door is shut, saith God. 

And what then ? "Why, then, by way of retaliation, God 
will serve them as they have served him ; and so the wind- 
ing up of the whole will be this — they shall have like for 
like. Time was when they would have none of him, and 
now will God have none of them. Time was when they cast 
God behind their back, and now he will cast away their 
soul. Time was when they would not heed his calls, and 
now he will not heed their cries. Time was " when they 
abhorred him, and now his soul also loatheth them." Zech. 
xi. 8. This is now by way of retaliation — like for like, 
scorn for scorn, repulse for repulse, contempt for contempt ; 
according to that which is written, " Therefore it came to 
pass, that as I cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, 
and I would not hear, saith the Lord." Zech. vii. 11-13. 
And thus I have also showed you that the loss of the soul is 
double — it is lost by man, lost by God. 

But oh! who thinks of this? who, I say, that now makes 
light of God, of his word, his servants and ways, once dreams 
of such retaliation, though God to warn them, hath even, 
in the day of his patience, threatened to do it in the day of 
his wrath, saying, " Because I called, and ye refused; I have 
stretched out my hand, and no man regarded ; but ye have 
set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my re- 



70 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

proof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when 
your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and 
your destruction cometh like a whirlwind; when distress and 
anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, 
but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they 
shall not find me." I will do unto them as they have done 
unto me ; and what unrighteousness is in all this ? But, 

Thirdly r , As the loss of the soul is a loss peculiar to itself, 
and a loss double, so, in the third place, it is a loss most 
fearful, because it is a loss attended with the most heavy 
curse of G-od. This is manifest both in the giving of the 
rule of life, and also in, and at the time of execution for, 
the breach of that rule. It is manifest at the giving of the 
rule — " Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of 
this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen." 
Deut. xxvii. 26; G-al. iii. 10. It is also manifest that it 
shall be so at the time of execution — " Depart from me, ye 
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his 
angels." Matt. xxv. 41. What this curse is, none do know 
so well as G-od that giveth it, and as the fallen angels, and 
the spirits of damned men that are now shut up in the pri- 
son of hell, and bear it. But certainly it is the chief and 
highest of all kinds of curses. To be cursed in the basket 
and in the store, in the womb and in the barn, in my cattle 
and in my body, are but fleabitings to this, though they are 
also insupportable in themselves ; only in general it may be 
described thus. But to touch upon this curse ; it lieth in a 
deprivation of all good, and in a being swallowed up of all 
the most fearful miseries that a holy, and just, and eternal 
G-od can righteously inflict, or lay upon the soul of a sinful 
man. Now let Reason here come in and exercise itself in 
the most exquisite manner; yea, let him now count up all, 
and all manner of curses and torments that a reasonable and 
an immortal soul is or can be made capable of, and able to 
suffer under, and when he has done, he shall come infinitely 



THE DAY OF VENGEANCE FEARFUL. 71 

short of this great anathema, this master-curse, which Grod 
has reserved amongst his treasuries, and intends to bring out 
in that day of battle and war, which he purposeth to make 
upon damned souls in that day. And this Grod will do, 
partly as a retaliation, as the former, and partly by way of 
revenge. 1. By way of retaliation : " As he loved cursing, 
so let it come unto him ; as he delighted not in blessing, so 
let it be far from him." Again, " As he clothed himself 
with cursing like as with a garment, so let it come into his 
bowels like water, and like oil into his bones, let it be unto 
him as a garment which covereth him, and for a girdle where- 
with he is girded continually." Psalm cix. 17-20. " Let 
this," saith Christ, " be the reward of mine adversaries from 
the Lord." 2. As this curse comes by way of retaliation, 
so it cometh by way of revenge. Grod will right the 
wrongs that sinners have done him, will repay vengeance 
for the despite and reproach wherewith they have affronted 
him, and will revenge the quarrel of his covenant. And the 
beginning of revenges are terrible; what, then will the 
whole execution be, when he shall come in naming fire, 
taking vengeance on them that know not Grod, and that 
obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ ? And therefore this 
curse is executed in wrath, in jealousy, in anger, in fury; 
yea, the heavens and the earth shall be burned up with the 
fire of that jealousy in which the great God will come, when 
he cometh to curse the souls of sinners, and when he cometh 
to defy the ungodly. Deut. xxxiii. 41, 42. 

It is little thought of, but the manner of the coming of 
G-od to judge the world declares what the souls of impeni- 
tent sinners must look for then. It is common among men, 
when we see the form of a man's countenance changed, when 
we see fire sparkle out of his eyes, when we read rage and 
fury in every cast of his face, even before he says aught, 
or doth aught either, to conclude that some fearful thing 
is now to be done. Dan. iii. 19-23. Why, it is said of Christ 



72 THE GREATNESS OP THE SOUL. 

when lie cometh to judgment; that the heavens and the earth 
flee away (as not being able to endure his looks), that his 
angels are clad in flaming fire, and that the elements melt 
with fervent heat, and all this is, that the perdition of 
ungodly men might be completed, from the presence of the 
Lord, in the heat of his anger, from the glory of his power. 
Rev. xx. 11, 12 j 2 Pet, iii. 7; 2 Thess. i. 8, 9. Therefore 
G-od will now be revenged, and so ease himself of his 
enemies, when he shall cause curses like millstones to fall 
as thick as hail on the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth 
on still in his trespasses. Psalm lxviii. 21. But, 

Fourthly, As the loss of the soul is a loss peculiar to itself, 
a loss double, and a loss most fearful, so it is a loss ever- 
lasting. The soul that is lost is never to be found again, 
never to be recovered again, never to be redeemed again. 
Its banishment from G-od is everlasting : the fire in which 
it burns, and by which it must be tormented, is a fire that 
is ever, everlasting fire, everlasting burnings; the adder, 
the snake, the stinging-worm, dieth not, nor is the fire 
quenched ; and this is a fearful thing. A man may endure 
to touch the fire with a short touch, and away; but to 
dwell with everlasting burnings, that is fearful. Oh, then, 
what is dwelling with them, and in them, for ever and ever ! 
We are used to say, light burdens far carried are heavy; 
what then will it be to bear that burden, that guilt, which 
the law and the justice and wrath of Glod, will lay upon the 
lost soul for ever ? Now tell the stars, now tell the drops 
of the sea, and now tell the blades of grass that are spread 
upon the face of all the earth, if thou canst ; and yet sooner 
mayst thou do this than count the thousands of millions of 
thousands of years that a damned soul shall lie in hell. 
Suppose every star that is now in the firmament was to burn 
(by itself, one by one) a thousand years a-piece, would it 
not be a long while before the last of them was burned out ? 



THREE THINGS WILL FILL UP PUNISHMENT. 73 

and yet sooner might that be done than the damned soul be 
at the end of punishment. 

There are three things couched under this last head that 
will fill up the punishment of a sinner. The first is, that it 
is everlasting. The second is, that therefore it will be im- 
possible for the souls in hell ever to say. Now we are got 
half way through our sorrows. The third is, and yet every 
moment they shall endure eternal punishment. 

The first I have touched upon already, and therefore shall 
not enlarge ; only I would ask the wanton or unthinking 
sinner whether twenty, or thirty, or forty years of the de- 
ceitful pleasures of sin, is so rich a prize, that a man may 
well venture the ruins that everlasting burnings will make 
upon his soul for the obtaining of them, and living a few 
moments in them. Sinner, consider this before I go any 
further, or before thou readest one line more. If thou hast 
a soul, it concerns thee ; if there be a hell, it concerns 
thee ; and if there be a God that can and will punish the 
soul for sin everlastingly in hell, it concerns thee ; because, 

In the second place, it will be impossible for the damned 
soul ever to say, I am now got half way through my 
sorrows. That which has no end, has no middle. Sinner, 
make a round circle, or ring, upon the ground, of what big- 
ness thou wilt ; this done, go thy way upon that circle, or 
ring, until thou comest to the end thereof. But that, sayst 
thou, I can never do, because it has no end. I answer, but 
thou mayst as soon do that, as wade half-way through the 
lake of fire that is prepared for impenitent souls. Sinner, 
what wilt thou take, to make a mountain of sand that will 
reach as high as the sun is at noon ? I know thou wilt not 
be engaged in such a work, because it is impossible thou 
shouldst ever perform it. But I dare say the task is greater 
when the sinner has let out himself to sin, for a servant; 
because the wages is everlasting burnings. I know thou 
mayst perform thy service, but the wages, the judgment, 

7 



74 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

the punishment is so endless, that thou, when thou hast 
been in it more millions of years than can be numbered, 
art not, nor ever yet shall be, able to say, I am half-way 
through it. And yet, 

3. The soul shall partake every moment *of that punish- 
ment that is eternal. "Even as Sodom and Gromorrah, and 
the Qities about them in like manner, giving themselves 
over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set 
forth for an example, suffering the^ vengeance of eternal 
fire." Jude 7. 

They shall endure eternal punishment in the nature of 
punishment. There is no punishment here wherewith one 
man can chastise another that can deserve a greater title 
than that of transient or temporary punishment ; but the 
punishment there is eternal, even in every stripe that is 
given, and in every moment that it grappleth with the soul; 
even every twinge, every gripe, and every stroke that justice 
inflicteth, leaveth anguish that in the nature of punishment 
is eternal, behind it. It is eternal, because it comes from 
God, and lasts for ever and ever. The justice that inflicts 
it has not a beginning, and it is this justice in the operations 
of it, that is always dealing with the soul. 

All the workings of the soul under this punishment, are 
such as cause it in its sufferings to endure that which is 
eternal. It can have no thought of the end of punishment, 
but it is presently recalled by the decree that bindeth it 
under perpetual punishment. The great fixed gulf, it 
knows, will keep it in its present place, and not suffer it to 
go to heaven (Luke xvi. 26) ; and now there is no other 
place but heaven or hell to be in, for then the earth, and 
the works that are therein, will be burned up. Read that 
text, " But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the 
night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a 
great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, 
and the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be 



THE RECKONING OE ETERNITY. 75 

burnt up." 2 Pet. iii. 10. If, then, there will be no third 
place, it standeth in their minds, as well as in God's decree, 
that their punishments will be eternal; so then, sorrow, 
anguish, tribulation, grief, woe, pain, will in every moment 
of their abiding upon the soul, not only flow from thoughts 
of what has been, and what is, but also from what will be, 
and that for ever and ever. Thus every thought that is 
truly grounded in the cause and nature of their state, will 
roll, toss, and tumble them up and down, in the cogitations 
and fearful apprehensions of the lastingness of their damna- 
tion. For I say, their minds, their memories, their under- 
standings, and consciences, will all, and always, be swallowed 
up with " for ever j" yea, they themselves will by means of 
these things be their own tormenters for ever. 

There will not be spaces, as days, months, years, and the 
like, as now, though we make bold so to speak (the better 
to present our thoughts to each other's capacities), for then 
there shall be time no longer ; also day and night shall then 
be come to an end. — " He hath compassed the waters with 
bounds, until the day and night come to an end" (Job xxvi. 
10), until the end of light with darkness. Now when time, 
and day and night, are come to an end, then there comes in 
eternity, as there was before the day and night, or time, 
were created ; and when this is come, punishment, nor glory 
must none of them be measured by days, or months, or 
years, but by eternity itself. Nor shall those concerned 
either in misery or glory, reckon of their now new state, as 
they used to reckon of things in this world ; but they shall 
be suited in their capacities, in their understandings and 
apprehensions, to judge and count of their condition accord- 
ing as will best stand with their state in eternity. 

Could we but come to an understanding of things done 
in heaven and hell, as we understand how things are done in 
this world, we should be strangely amazed to see how the 
change of places and conditions has made a change in the 



76 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

understandings of men, and in the manner of their enjoy* 
ment of things. But this we must let alone till the next 
world, and until our launching into it, and then, whether we 
be of the right or left hand ones, we shall well know the 
state and condition of both kingdoms. In the mean time, 
let us addict ourselves to the belief of the Scriptures of 
truth, for therein is revealed the way to that of eternal life, 
and how to escape the damnation of the soul. Matt. xxv. 33. 
But thus much for the loss of the soul, unto which let me 
add, for a conclusion, these verses following : — 

These cry, alas! hut all in Tain; 

They stick fast in the mire ; 
They would he rid of present pain, 

Yet set themselves on fire. 

Darkness is their perplexity, 

Tet do they hate the light ; 
They always see their misery, 

Tet are themselves all night. 

They are all dead, yet live they do, 

Yet neither live nor die ; 
They die to weal, and live to woe — 

This is their misery. 

Now will confusion so possess 

These monuments of ire, 
And so confound them with distress, 

And trouble their desire. 

That what to think, or what to do, 

Or where to lay their head, 
They know not : -'tis the da-mned's woe ' 
To live, and yet he dead. 

These castaways would fain have life, 

But know they never shall ; 
They would forget their dreadful plight, 

But that sticks fast'st of all. 

God, Christ, and heaven, they know are hest, 

Yet dare not on them think ; 
They know the saints enjoy their rest, 

While they their tears do drink. 



CHAPTER V. 

THE CAUSE OE THE LOSS OF THE SOUL. 

And now I am come to the fourth thing, that is, to show 
you the Cause of the Loss of the Soul. That men have souls, 
— that souls are great things, — that souls may be lost, this 
I have showed you already; wherefore I now proceed to 
show you the cause of this loss. The cause is laid down in 
the 18th chapter of Ezekiel in these words : — " Behold, all 
souls/ ' says Grod, " are mine ; as the soul of the father, so 
also the soul of the son is mine : the soul that sinneth, it 
shall die." It is sin, then, or sinning against Glod, that is 
the cause of dying — of damning in hell-fire — for that must 
be meant by dying ; otherwise, to die, according to our or- 
dinary acceptation of the notion, the soul is not capable of, 
it being indeed immortal, as hath been afore asserted. So, 
then, the soul that sinneth — that is, and perseveres in the 
same — that soul shall die, be cast away, or damned. Yea, 
to ascertain or assure us of the undoubted truth of this, the 
Holy Grhost doth repeat it again, and in this very chapter, 
saying, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." verse 20. 

Now, the soul may divers ways be said to sin against 
God; as, 

1. In its receiving sin into its bosom; and in its retain- 
ing and entertaining it there. Sin must first be received, 
before it can act in, or be acted by, the soul. Our first 
parents first received the suggestion or motion, and then 
acted it. Now it is not here to be disputed when sin was 
received by the soul, so much as whether ever the soul re- 
ceived sin ; for if the soul has indeed received sin into itself, 
then it has sinned, and by doing so has made itself an ob- 

7* (77) 



78 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

ject of the wrath of G-od, and a firebrand of hell. I say, I 
will not here dispute when sin was received by the soul, but 
it is apparent enough that it received it betimes, because in 
old time every child that was brought unto the Lord was to 
be redeemed, and that at a month old (Exodus xiii. 13; 
xxxiv. 20), which to be sure was very early, and implied 
that then, even then, the soul in Grod's judgment stood be- 
fore him as defiled and polluted with sin. But although I 
said I will not dispute at what time the soul may be said to 
receive sin, yet it is evident that it was precedent to the re- 
demption made mention of just before, and so before the 
person redeemed had attained to the age of a month. And 
that God might, in the language of Moses, give us to see 
cause of the necessity of this redemption, he first distin- 
guisheth, and saith, " The firstling of a cow, or the firstling 
of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat," did not need this re- 
demption, for they were clean, or holy. But the first-born 
of men, who were taken in lieu of the rest of the children, 
and the " firstling of unclean beasts, thou shalt surely re- 
deem," saith he. But why was the first-born of men coupled 
with unclean beasts, but because they were both unclean. 
But how ? I answer, the beast was unclean by God's ordi- 
nation, but the other was unclean by sin. Now, then, it 
will be demanded, how a soul, before it was a month old, 
could receive sin to the making of itself unclean ? I an- 
swer, there are two ways of receiving, one active, the other 
passive. This last is the way by which the soul at first re- 
ceive th sin, and by so receiving, becometh culpable, because 
polluted and defiled by it. And this passive way of receiv- 
ing is often mentioned in scripture. Exodus xxvii. 3 ; 2 
Chron. iv. 5; Matt. xiii. 20-23. Thus the pans received 
the ashes; thus the molten sea received three thousand 
baths ; thus the ground receiveth the seed. And this receiv- 
ing is like that of the wool which receiveth the dye, either 
black, white, or red ; and as the fire that receiveth the water 



HOW SIN IS RECEIVED AND RETAINED. 79 

till it be all quenched therewith; or as the water receiveth 
such stinking and poisonous matter into it, as for the sake 
of it, it is poured out and spilled upon the ground. " But 
whence should the soul thus receive sin V I answer, from 
the body, while it is in the mother's womb (Psalm li. 5) ; 
'the body comes from polluted man, and therefore is polluted 
— " Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean V Job 
xiv. 4. The soul comes from God's hand, and therefore as 
so is pure and clean; but being put into this body, it is 
tainted, polluted, and denied with the taint, stench, and 
filth of sin ; nor can this stench and filth be by man purged 
out, when once from the body got into the soul ; sooner may 
the blackamoor change his skin, or the leopard his spots, 
than the soul, were it willing, might purge itself of this pol- 
lution. " Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee 
much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the 
Lord God." 

2. But as I said, the soul has not only received sin, but 
retains it— holds it, and shows no kind of resistance. It is 
enough that the soul is polluted and defiled; for that is 
sufficient to provoke God to cast it away. For which of you 
would take a cloth annoyed with stinking, ulcerous sores, 
to wipe your mouth with, or to thrust it into your bosoms ? 
and the soul is polluted with far worse pollution than any 
such can be. But this is not all; it retains sin as the 
wool retains the dye, or as the infected water receives the 
stench or poisonous scent; I say, it retains it willingly; 
for all the power of the soul is not only captivated by a 
seizure of sin upon the soul, but it willingly, heartily, 
unanimously, universally, falleth in with the natural filth 
and pollution that are in sin, to the estranging of itself 
from God, and an obtaining of an intimacy and compliance 
with the devil. 

Now this being the state and condition of the soul from 
the womb, yea, from before it sees the light of this world, 



80 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

what can be concluded but that G-od is offended with it ! 
For how can it otherwise be, since there is holiness and 
justice in God ? Hence those that are born of a woman, 
whose original is by carnal conception with man, are said 
to be as serpents as soon as born. " The wicked (and all 
at first are so) go astray as soon as they are born, speaking 
lies. Their poison is the poison of a serpent; they are like 
the deaf adder that stoppeth his ear." They go astray from 
the womb; but that they would not do if aught of the 
powers of their soul were unpolluted. But their poison 
is the poison of a serpent. Their poison — what is that ? 
Their pollution, their original pollution, that is as the 
poison of a serpent — namely, not only deadly, for so poison 
is, but also hereditary. It comes from the old one, from 
the sire and dam ; yea, it is also now become connatural to 
and with them, and is of the same date with the child as 
born into the world. The serpent has not her poison, in 
the original of it, either from imitation or from other infec- 
tive things abroad, though it may by such things be helped 
forward and increased, but she brings it with her in her 
bowels, in her nature, and it is to her as suitable to her 
present condition as is that which is most sweet and whole- 
some to other of the creatures. So, then, every soul comes 
into the world as poisoned with sin ; nay, as such who have 
poison connatural to them ; for it has not only received sin 
as the wool has received the dye, but it retaineth it. The 
infection is got so deep, it has taken the black so effectually, 
that the fire, the very fire of hell can never purge the soul 
therefrom. 

And that the soul has received this infection thus early, 
and that it retains it so surely, is not only signified by 
children coming into the world besmeared in their mother's 
blood, and by the firstborn's being redeemed at a month 
old, but also by the first inclinations and actions of children 
when they are so come into the world. Ezek. xvi. Who 



CHILDREN AVERSE TO MORAL DISCIPLINE. 81 

sees not that lying, pride, disobedience to parents, and 
hypocrisy, do put forth themselves in children before they 
know that they do either well or ill in so doing, or before 
they are capable of learning either of these arts by imitation, 
or seeing understandingly the same things done first by 
others ? He that sees not that they do it naturally, from a 
principle, from an inherent principle, is either blinded, and 
has retained his darkness by the same sin as they, or has 
suffered himself to be swayed by a delusion from him who 
at first infused this spawn of sin into man's nature. 

Nor doth the averseness of children to morality, a little 
demonstrate what has been said. For as it would make a 
serpent sick, should one give it a strong antidote against 
his poison, so then are children (and never more than then) 
disturbed in their minds, when a strict hand and a stiff 
rein by moral discipline is maintained over and upon them. 
True, sometimes restraining grace corrects them, but that 
is not of themselves. But more oft, hypocrisy is the great 
and first moving wheel to all their seeming compliances with 
admonitions; which indulgent parents are apt to overlook, 
yea, and sometimes, through unadvisedness, to commend for 
the principles of grace. I speak now of that which comes 
before conversion. 

But as I said before, I would not now dispute ; only I have 
thought good thus to urge these things to. make my assertion 
manifest, and to show what is the cause of the damnation 
of the soul. 

3. Again ; as the soul receives sin, and retains it, so it 
also doth entertain it — that is, countenance, smile upon, 
and like its complexion and nature well. A man may 
retain — that is, hold fast — a thing which yet he doth not 
regard ; but when he entertains, then he countenances, likes, 
and delights in the company. Sin, then, is first received 
by the soul, as has been afore explained, and by that re- 
ception is polluted and defiled. This makes it hateful in 



82 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

the eyes of justice ; it is now polluted. Then, secondly, 
this sin is not only received, but retained — that is, it sticks 
so fast, abides so fixedly in the soul, that it cannot be gotten 
out; this is the cause of the continuation of abhorrence; 
for if Grod abhors because there is a being of sin there, it 
must needs be that he should continue to abhor, since sin 
continues to have a being there. But then, in the third 
place, sin is not only received, retained, but entertained by 
the now denied and polluted soul; wherefore this must needs 
be a cause of the continuance of anger, and that with aggra- 
vation. "When I say, entertained, I do not mean as men 
entertain their enemies, with small and great shot, but as 
they entertain those whom they like, and those that are got 
into their affections. 

And therefore the wrath of Grod must certainly be let out 
upon the soul, to the everlasting damnation of it. 

Now that the soul doth thus entertain sin is manifest by 
these several particulars — 1. It hath admitted it with com- 
placence and delight into every chamber of the soul; I mean, 
it has been delightfully admitted to an entertainment by all 
the powers or faculties of the soul. The soul hath chosen it 
rather than God; it also, at Grod's command, refuseth to let 
it go; yea, it chooseth that doctrine, and loveth it best 
(since it must have a doctrine), that has most of sin and 
baseness in it. Isa. lxv. 12 ; lxvi. 3. " They say to the 
seers, See not; to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right 
things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits." 
Isa. xxx. 10. 

These are signs that the soul with liking hath entertained 
sin ; and if there be at any time, as indeed there is, a war- 
rant issued out from the mouth of Grod to apprehend, to 
condemn, and mortify sin, why then, 

2. These shifts the souls of sinners do presently make for 
the saving of sin from those things that by the word men 
are commanded to do unto it— 



SHIFTS OF SINNERS TO SAVE THEIR SINS. 83 

They will, if possible, hide it, and not suffer it to be dis- 
covered. Prov. xxviii. 13. "He that covereth his sins shall 
not prosper. And again, they hide it, and refuse to let it 
go." Job xx. 12, 13. This is an evident sign that the soul 
has a favor for sin, and that with liking it, entertains it. 

As they will hide it, so they will excuse it, and plead that 
this and that piece of wickedness is no such evil thing; 
men need not be so nice, and make such a pother about it ; 
calling those that cry out so hotly against it, men more 
nice than wise. Hence the prophets of old used to be called 
madmen, and the world would reply against their doctrine, 
"Wherein have we been so wearisome to God, and what 
have we spoken so much against him ?" Mai. i. 6, 7. 

As the soul will do this, so to save sin it will cover it with 
names of virtue, either moral or civil. And of this God 
greatly complains, yea, breaks out into anger for this, say- 
ing, "Woe to them that call evil good, and good evil; that 
put darkness for light, and light for darkness; and put bitter 
for sweet, and sweet for bitter." Isa. v. 20. 

If convictions and discovery of sin be so strong and so 
plain that the soul cannot deny but that it is sin, and that 
G-od is offended therewith, then it will give flattering pro- 
mises to G-od that it will indeed put it away ; but yet it will 
prefix a time that shall be long first, if it also then at all 
performs it, saying, Yet a little sleep, yet a little slumber, 
yet a little folding of sin in mine arms, till I am older, till 
I am richer, till I have had more of the sweetness and the 
delights of sin. Thus, "their soul delighteth in their 
abominations." Isa. lxvi. 3. 

If God yet pursues, and will see whether this promise of 
putting sin out of doors shall be fulfilled by the soul, why 
then it will be partial in God's law; it will put away some, 
and keep some; put away the grossest, and keep the finest; 
put away those that can best be spared, and keep the most 
profitable for a help at a pinch. Mai. ii. 9. 



84 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

Yea, if all sin must be abandoned, or the soul shall have 
no rest, why then the soul and sin will part (with such a 
parting as it is), even as Phaltiel parted with David's wife, 
with an ill-will and a sorrowful mind ; or as Orpah left her 
mother, with a kiss. 2 Sam. iii. 16; Ruth i. 14. 

And if at any time they can, or shall, meet with each 
other again, and nobody never the wiser, oh, what courting 
will be betwixt sin and the soul ! And this is called the 
doing of things in the dark. Ezek. viii. 12. 

By all these, and many more things that might be in- 
stanced, it is manifest that sin has a friendly entertainment 
by the soul, and that therefore the soul is guilty of damna- 
tion ; for what do all these things argue but that Grod, his 
word, his ways, and graces, are out of favor with the soul, and 
that sin and Satan are its only pleasant companions. But, 

Secondly, That I may yet show you what a great thing 
sin is with the soul that is to be damned, I will show how 
sin by the help of the soul is managed from the motion of 
sin, even till it comes to the very act; for sin cannot come 
to an act without the help of the soul. The body doth little 
here, as I shall further show you anon. 

There is then a motion of sin presented to the soul (and 
whether presented by sin itself, or the devil, we will not at 
this time dispute) ; motions of sin, and motions to sin there 
are, and always the end of the motions of sin is to prevail 
with the soul to help that motion into an act. But, I say, 
there is a motion to sin moved to the soul, or, as James calls 
it, a conception. Now behold how the soul deals with this 
motion in order to the finishing of sin, that death might fol- 
low. Rom. vii. 5. 

1. This motion is taken notice of by the soul, but is not 
resisted nor striven against, only the soul lifts up its eyes 
upon it, and sees that there is present a motion to sin, a mo- 
tion of sin presented to the soul, that the soul might midwife 
it from the conception into the world. 



THE PROCESS OF SIN IN THE SOUL. 85 

2. Well, notice being taken that a motion to sin is pre- 
sent, what follows but that the fancy or imagination of the 
soul taketh it home to it, and doth not only look upon it 
and behold it more narrowly, but begins to trick and trim 
up the sin to the pleasing of itself and of all the powers of 
the soul. That this is true is evident, because God findeth 
fault with the imagination as with that which lendeth to sin 
the first hand, and that giveth to it the first lift towards its 
being helped forward to act. " And God saw that the wick- 
edness of man was great in the earth" (Gen. vi. 5, 12, 13); 
that is, many abominable actions were done; for all flesh 
had corrupted God's way upon the earth. But how came 
this to be so ? Why, every imagination of the thoughts, or 
of the motions that were in the heart to sin, was evil, only 
evil, and that continually. The imagination of the thoughts 
was evil — that is, such as tended not to deaden or stifle, 
but such as tended to animate and forward the motions or 
thoughts of sin into action. Every imagination of the 
thoughts — that which is here called a thought, is by Paul to 
the Romans called a motion. Now the imagination should 
and would, had it been on God's side, so have conceived of 
this motion of and to sin, as to have presented it in all its 
features so ugly, so ill-favored, and so unreasonable a 
thing to the soul, that the soul should forthwith have let 
down the sluices, and pulled up the draw-bridge, put a stop 
with greatest defiance to the motion now under considera- 
tion ; but the imagination being defiled, it presently, at the 
very first view or noise of the motion of sin, so acted as to 
forward the bringing the said motion or thought into act. 
So, then, the thought of sin, or motion thereto, is first of all 
entertained by the imagination and fancy of the soul, and 
thence conveyed to the rest of the powers of the soul, to be 
condemned, if the imagination be good; but to be helped 
forward to the act, if the imagination be evil. And thus the 
evil imagination helpeth the motion of and to sin towards 



86 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

the act, even by dressing of it up in that guise and habit 
that may best delude the understanding, judgment, and 
conscience ; and that is done after this manner. Suppose a 
motion of sin to commit fornication, to swear, to steal, to 
act covetously, or the like, be propounded to the fancy and 
imagination; the imagination, if evil, presently dresseth up 
this motion in that garb that best suiteth with the nature 
of the sin. As if it be the lust of uncleanness, then is the 
motion to sin drest up in all the imaginable pleasurableness 
of that sin ; if to covetousness, then is the sin drest up in 
the profits and honors that attend that sin ; and so of theft 
and the like ; but if the motion be to swear, hector, or the 
like, then is that motion drest up with valor and manliness ; 
and so you may count of the rest of sinful motions ; and 
thus being trimmed up like a Bartholomew baby, it is pre- 
sented to all the rest of the powers of the soul, where with 
joint consent it is admired and embraced, to the firing and 
inflaming all the powers of the soul. 

And hence it is that men are said to inflame themselves 
with their idols under every green tree, " and to be as fed 
horses, neighing after their neighbor's wife. Isaiah lvii. 5 ; 
3ev. v. 8. For the imagination is such a forcible power,., 
that if it putteth forth itself to dress up and present a thing 
to the soul, whether that thing be evil or good, the rest of 
the faculties cannot withstand it. Therefore when David 
prayed for the children of Israel, he said, "I have seen 
with joy thy people, which are present here to offer wil- 
lingly unto thee;" that is, for preparations to build the 
temple. " Lord God," saith he, " keep this for ever in 
the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, 
and prepare their hearts unto thee."l Chron. xxix. 17, 18. 
He knew that as the imagination was prepared, so would 
the soul be moved, whether by evil or good ; therefore as 
to this, he prays that their imagination might be engaged 
always with apprehensions of the beauteousness of the tern- 



HOW SIN IS BROUGHT FORTH UNTO DEATH. 87 

pie, that they might always, as now, offer willingly for its 
building. But, 

3. As I said, when the imagination hath thus set forth 
sin to the rest of the faculties of the soul, they are presently 
entangled, and fall into a flame of love thereto ; this being 
done, it follows that a purpose to pursue this motion, till it 
be brought into act, is the next thing that is resolved 
on. Thus Esau, after he had conceived of that profit that 
would accrue to him by murdering his brother, fell the next 
way into a resolve to spill Jacob's blood. And Rebecca 
sent for Jacob, and said unto him, " Behold, thy brother 
Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to 
kill thee." Gen. xxvii. 42; Jer. xlix. 30. Nor is this pur- 
pose to do an evil without its fruit, for he comforteth him- 
self in his evil purpose : " Esau, as touching thee, doth com- 
fort himself, purposing to kill thee." 

4. The purpose, therefore, being concluded, in the next 
place, the invention is diligently set to work to find out what 
means, methods, and ways will be thought best to bring this 
purpose into practice, and this motion to sin into action. 
Esau intended the death of his brother when his father was 
to to be carried to his grave. Gren. xxvii. 41. David pur- 
posed to make Uriah father his bastard child by making 
him drunk. 2 Sam. xi. 13. Amnon purposed to ravish 
Tamar, and the means that he invented to do it was by 
feigning himself sick. Absalom purposed to kill Amnon, 
and invented to do it at a feast. Judas purposed to sell 
Christ, and invented to betray him in the absence of the 
people. Luke xxii. 3—6. The Jews purposed to kill Paul, 
and invented to entreat the judge by a blandation to send 
for him, that they might murder him as he went. Acts 
xxiii. 12-15. 

Thus you see how sin is, in the motion of it, handed 
through the soul — first, it comes into the fancy or imagina- 
tion, by which it is so presented to the soul as to inflame it 



88 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

with desire to bring it into act ; so from this desire the soul 
proceedeth to a purpose of enjoying, and from a purpose of 
enjoying to inventing how, or by what means, it had best 
to attempt the accomplishment of it. 

5. But, further, when the soul has thus far, by its wicked- 
ness, pursued the motion of sin to bring it into action, then 
it comes to the last thing — namely, to endeavor to take the 
opportunity which by the invention is judged most con- 
venient. So to endeavors it goes till it has finished sin, and 
finished, in finishing that, its own fearful damnation. " Then 
lust, when it hath conceived, bringeth forth sin : and sin, 
when it is finished, bringeth forth death." James i. 15. 

And who knows, but Grod and the Soul, how many lets, 
hindrances, convictions, fears, frights, misgivings, and 
thoughts of the judgment of Grod, all this while are passing 
and repassing, turning and returning, over the face of the 
soul? how many times the soul is made to start, look back, 
and tremble, while it is pursuing the pleasure, profit, ap- 
plause, or preferment, that sin promiseth, when finished, to 
yield unto the soul ? For God is such a lover of the soul, 
that he seldom lets it go on in sin, but he cries to it by his 
word and providences — "■ Oh ! do not this abominable thing 
that I hate !" — especially at first, until it shall have hardened 
itself, and so provoked him to give it up, in sin-revenging 
judgment, to its own ways and doings, which is the terri- 
blest judgment under heaven. And this brings me to the 
third thing, which I now will speak of. 

Thirdly, As the soul receives, retains, entertains, and wilily 
works to bring sin from the motion into act, so it abhor- 
reth to be controlled and taken off this work. u My soul 
loathed them," says Grod; "and their soul also abhorred 
me." Zech. xi. 8. 'My soul loathed them, because they 
were so bad ; and their souls abhorred me, because I am so 
good/ Sin, then, is the cause of the loss of the soul; because 
it hath set the soul, or rather, because the soul from love to 



THE SOUL'S ENMITY AGAINST GOD. 89 

sin hath set itself, against God. " Woe unto their souls, for 
they have rewarded evil unto themselves." Isa. iii. 9. 

That you may the better perceive that the Soul, through 
sin, hath set itself against God, I will propose, and speak 
briefly of these two things — the law and the gospel. 

1. Of the law. God has given it for a rule of life, either 
as written in their nature, or as inserted in the holy Scrip- 
tures ; I say, for a rule of life to all the children of men. 
But what have men done, or how have they carried it to 
this law of their Creator, let us see, and that from the 
mouth of God himself. 

First, They have not hearkened unto my law. Jer. vi. 19. 

Secondly, They have forsaken my law. Jer. ix. 13. 

Thirdly, They have forsaken me, and not kept my law. 
Jer. xvi. 11. 

Fourthly, They have not walked in my law, nor in my 
statutes. Jer. xliv. 10. 

Fifthly, Her priests have violated my law. Ezek. xxii. 26. 

Sixthly, And, saith God, I have written to him the great 
things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing. 
Hos. viii. 12. 

Now whence should all this disobedience arise? Not 
from the unreasonableness of the commandment, but from 
the opposition that is lodged in the soul against God, and 
the enmity that it entertains against goodness. Hence the 
apostle speaks of the enmity, and says, that men are enemies 
in their minds (their souls), as is manifest by wicked works. 
Col. i. 21. 

This, if men went no further, must needs be highly pro- 
voking to a just and holy God ; yea, so highly offensive is 
it, that, to show the heat of his anger, he saith, " Indigna- 
tion and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul 
of man that doeth evil (and this is evil, with a witness), of 
the Jew first, and also of the Gentiles." Eom. ii. 8, 9. "That 



90 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

doeth evil/' that is, that breaketh the law ; for that evil he 
is crying out against now. But, 

2. Of the gospel, and of the carriage of sinful souls to- 
wards G-od under that dispensation. 

The gospel is the revelation of a sovereign remedy, pro- 
vided by God through Christ, for the health and salvation 
of those that have made themselves objects of wrath by the 
breach of the law of works; this is manifest by all the 
Scripture. But how doth the soul carry it towards G-od 
when he offereth to deal with it under and by this dispensa- 
tion of grace ? Why, just as it carried it under the law 
of works — they oppose, they contradict, they blaspheme, 
and forbid that this gospel be mentioned. What higher 
affront or contempt can be offered to G-od, and what greater 
disdain can be shown against the gospel? Acts xiii. 45; 
xviii. 6; 2 Tim. ii. 25; 1 Thess. ii. 13-15. Yet all this 
the poor soul, to its own wrong, offereth against the way of 
its own salvation, as it is said in the word of truth, " He 
that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul : all they that 
hate me love death." Prov. viii. 36. 

But further, the soul despiseth not the gospel in that 
revelation of it only, but the great and chief Bringer thereof, 
with the manner also of his bringing it. 

The Bringer, the great Bringer of the gospel, is the good 
Lord Jesus Christ himself; he came and preached peace to 
them that the law proclaimed war against (Eph. ii. 17) ; he 
came and preached peace to them that were far off, and to 
them that were nigh. And it is worth your observation to 
take notice how he came : and that was and still is (as he is 
set forth in the word of the gospel), first, as himself making 
peace to G-od for us by the blood of his cross ; and then as 
bearing (as set out by the gospel) the very characters of his 
sufferings before our faces, in every tender of the gospel of 
his grace unto us. G-al. iii. 1. And to touch a little upon 
the dress in which, by the gospel, Christ presenteth himself 



SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST FOR SOULS. 91 

unto us while he offereth unto sinful souls his peace by the 
tenders thereof. 

1. He is set forth as born for us, to save our souls. Isaiah 
ix. 6 ; Luke ii. 9-12 ; Dan. ix. 24. 2. He is set forth be- 
fore us as bearing our sins for us, and suffering God's wrath 
for us. 1 Cor. xv. 3. 3. He is set forth before us as fulfill- 
ing the law for us, and as bringing everlasting righteousness 
to us for our covering. G-al. iii. 13 ; Kom. x. 4. 

Again, as to the manner of his working out the salvation 
of sinners for them, that they might have peace and joy, and 
heaven and glory, for ever — 1. He is set forth as sweating 
blood while he was in his agony, wrestling with the thoughts 
of death, which he was to suffer for our sins, that he might 
save the soul. Luke xxii. 24. 2. He is set forth as crying, 
weeping, and mourning, under the lashes of justice that he 
put himself under, and was willing to bear for our sins. 
Heb. v. 7. 3. He is set forth as betrayed, apprehended, 
condemned, spit on, scourged, buffeted, mocked, crowned 
with thorns, crucified, pierced with nails and a spear, to save 
the soul from being betrayed by the devil and sin; to save 
it from being apprehended by justice, and condemned by the 
law; to save it from being spit on in any way of contempt 
by holiness ; to save it from being scourged with the guilt 
of sins as with scorpions ; to save it from being continually 
buffeted by its own conscience ; to save it from being mocked 
at by God ) to save it from being crowned with ignominy 
and shame for ever; to save it from dying the second death; 
to save it from wounds and grief for ever. 

Dost thou understand me, sinful soul? He wrestled 
with justice, that thou mightst have rest; he wept and 
mourned, that thou mightst laugh and rejoice; he was be- 
trayed, that thou mightst go free; he was apprehended, 
that thou mightst escape; he was condemned, that thou 
mightst be justified ; and was killed, that thou mightst 
live ; he wore a crown of thorns, that thou mightst wear a 



92 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

crown of glory; and was nailed to the cross, with his arms 
wide open, to show with what freeness all his merits shall 
be bestowed on the coming soul, and how heartily he will 
receive it into his hosom. 

Further, all this he did of mere good-will, and offereth 
the benefit thereof unto thee freely; yea, he cometh unto 
thee in the word of the gospel, with the blood running 
down from his head upon his face, with his tears abiding 
upon his cheeks, with the holes as fresh in his hands and 
his feet, and as with the blood still bubbling out of his 
side, to pray thee to accept of the benefit, and to be recon- 
ciled to G-od thereby. 2 Cor. v. But what saith the sinful 
soul to this ? I do not ask what he saith with his lips, for 
he will assuredly flatter G-od with his mouth; but what do 
his actions and carriages declare as to his acceptance of 
this incomparable benefit? " For a wicked man speaketh 
with his feet, and teacheth with his fingers." Prov. vi. 12, 
13. With his feet — that is, by the way he goeth; and with 
his fingers — that is, by his acts and doings. So, then, what 
saith he by his goings, by his acts and doings, unto this in- 
comparable benefit, thus brought unto him from the Father 
by his only Son Jesus Christ ? What saith he ? Why, he 
saith that he doth not at all regard this Christ, nor value 
the grace thus tendered unto him in the gospel. 

First, He saith, that he regardeth not this Christ, that he 
seeth nothing in him why he should admit him to be enter- 
tained in his affections. Therefore the prophet, speaking in 
the person of sinners, says of Christ, " He hath no form nor 
comeliness, and when we shall see him, there is no beauty 
that we should desire him" (Isaiah liii. 2, 3) ; and then 
adds, to show what he means by his thus speaking, "He is 
despised and rejected of men." All this is spoken with re- 
ference to his person, and it was eminently fulfilled upon 
him in the days of his flesh, when he was hated, maligned, 
and persecuted to death by sinners ; and is still fulfilled in 



HOW SOULS REJECT CHRIST. 93 

the souls of sinners, in that they cannot abide to think of 
him with thoughts that have a tendency in them to separate 
them and their lusts asunder, and to make them embrace 
him for their darling, and take up their cross to follow him. 
All this sinners speak out with loud voices, in that they stop 
their ears and shut their eyes as to him ; but open them 
wide and hearken diligently to any thing that pleaseth the 
flesh, and that is a nursery to sin. But, 

Second!?/, As they despise, and reject, and do not regard 
his person, so they do not value the grace that he tendereth 
unto them by the gospel ; this is plain by that indifference 
of spirit that always attends them, when at any time they 
hear thereof, or when it is presented unto them. 

I may safely say, that the most of men who are concerned 
in a trade, will be more vigilant in dealing with a twelve- 
penny customer, than they will be with Christ, when he 
comes to make them by the gospel a tender of the incom- 
parable grace of Grod. Hence they are called fools, "be- 
cause a price is put into their hands to get wisdom, and they 
have no heart to it." Prov. xvii. 16. And hence again, 
it is that that bitter complaint is made, "But my people 
would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of 
me." Psalm lxxxi. 11. 

Now these things being found, as practised by the souls 
of sinners, must needs after a wonderful manner provoke ; 
wherefore no marvel that the heavens are bid to be as- 
tonished at this, and that damnation shall seize upon the 
soul for this. 

And indeed, the soul that doeth thus by practice, though 
with his mouth (as who doth not?) he shall show much 
love (Jer. ii.), doth by interpretation say these things — 

1. That he loveth sin better than grace, and darkness 
better than light, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed. 
" And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the 



94 THE GREATNESS OE THE SOUL. 

world, and men love darkness more than light (as is mani- 
fest), because their deeds are evil/' 

2. They do also, by their thus rejecting Christ and grace, 
say, that for what the law can do to them, they value it not; 
they regard not its thundering, or threatenings, nor will 
they shrink when they come to endure the execution thereof. 
Wherefore, God, to deter them from such bold and des- 
perate ways, that do by interpretation fully declare that 
they make such desperate conclusions, insinuates that the 
burden of the curse thereof is intolerable, saying, " Can thy 
heart endure, or can thy hands be strong, in the day that I 
shall deal with thee ? I the Lord have spoken it, I will do 
it." Ezek. xxii. 14. 

3. Yea, by their thus doing, they do as good as say that 
they will run the hazard of a sentence of death at the day 
of judgment, and that they will in the mean time join issue, 
and stand a trial at that day with the great and terrible 
God. What else means their not hearkening to him, their 
despising his Son, and their rejecting his grace; yea, I say 
again, what else means their slighting the curse of the law, 
and their choosing to abide in their sins till the day of 
death and judgment ? And thus I have showed you the 
causes of the loss of the soul ; and assuredly these things 
are no fables. 

Object. But some may object, and say, But you de- 
nounce all against the Soul, as if the body were in no fault 
at all, or as if there were no punishment assigned for the 
body. 

Answ. 1. The soul must be the part punished, because 
the soul is that which sins. " Every sin that a man doeth 
is without the body," fornication or adultery excepted. 1 Cor. 
vi. 18. "Is without the body" — that is, as to the wilily 
inventing, contriving, and finding out ways to bring the 
motions of sin into action. For alas ! what can the body do 
as to these ? It is in a manner wholly passive ; yea ; alto- 



OBJECTIONS AS TO THE BODY CONSIDERED. 95 

gether as to the lusting and purposing to do the wickedness, 
excepting the sin before excepted ; ay, and not excepting 
that, as to the rise of that sin ; for even that, with all the 
rest, ariseth and proceedeth out of the heart, the soul. "For 
from within, out of the heart of man, proceed fornica- 
tion, adultery, murder, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, 
deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, fool- 
ishness : all these evil things come from within, and defile 
the man." Mark vii. 21-23. That is, the outward man. 
But a difference must always be put betwixt defiling and 
being defiled, that which defile th being the worst; not but 
that the body shall have its share of judgment, for body and 
soul must be destroyed in hell ; the body as the instrument, 
the soul as the actor; but oh! the soul, the soul, is the 
sinner, and therefore the soul, as the principal, must be 
punished. 

And that God's indignation burneth most against the 
soul, appears in that death has seized upon every soul 
already; for the Scripture saith that every natural or un- 
converted man is dead. Dead ! How ? Is his body dead ? 
No, verily; his body liveth, but his soul is dead. Dead! 
But with what death ? Dead to Grod, and to all things gos- 
pelly good, by reason of that benumbing, stupifying, and 
senselessness, that by God's just judgment, for and by sin, 
hath swallowed up the soul. Eph. ii. 1-3. Yea, if you ob- 
serve, you shall see that the soul goeth first in punishment, 
not only by what has been said already, in that the soul is 
first made a partaker of death, but in that God first deals 
with the soul by convictions, yea, and terrors perhaps, while 
the body is well ; or in that he giveth up the soul to judi- 
cial hardness, and further blindness, while he leaveth the 
body to do its office in the world ; yea, and also when the 
day of death and dissolution is come, the body is spared, 
while the soul is tormented in unutterable torment in hell. 
And so I say, it shall be spared, and the clods of the valley 



96 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

shall be sweet unto it, while the soul mourneth in hell for 
sin. It is true, at the day of judgment, because that is the 
last and final judgment of God on men, then the body and 
soul shall be re-united, or joined together again, and shall 
then together partake of that recompense for their wicked- 
ness which is meet. Luke xii. 4; Matt. x. 28. When I say, 
the body is spared, and the soul tormented, I mean not that 
the body is not then at death made to partake of the wages 
of sin, " for the wages of sin is death" (Rom. vi.) ; but I 
mean, the body partakes then but of temporal death, which 
as to sense and feeling, is sometimes over presently, and 
then resteth in the grave, while the soul is tormented in 
hell. Yea, and why is death suffered to slay the body? I 
dare say, not chiefly that the indignation of God most burn- 
etii against the body; but the body being the house for the 
soul in this world, God even pulls down this body, that the 
soul may be stripped naked, and being stripped, may be 
carried to prison, to the place where damned souls are, there 
to suffer in the beginning of suffering that punishment that 
will be endless. 

2. Therefore the soul must be the part most sorely 
punished, because justice must be distributed with equity. 
God is a G-od of knowledge and judgment; by him actions 
are weighed; actions in order to judgment. 1 Sam. ii. 3. 
Now by weighing actions, since he finds the soul to have the 
deepest hand in sin (and he says that he hath), so, of equity 
the soul is to bear the burden of punishment. Shall not 
the Judge of all the earth do right, in his famous distributing 
of judgment? Gen. xix. 25. He will not lay upon man 
more than right, that he should enter into judgment with 
God. Job xxxiv. 23. The soul, since deepest in sin, shall 
also be deepest in punishment. " Shall one man sin," said 
Moses, " and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation V 
Numb. xvi. 22. He pleads here for equity in God's distri- 
buting of judgment. Yea, and so exact is God in the dis- 



PROPER PUNISHMENT OF SOUL AND BODY. 97 

tribution thereof, that he will not punish heathens as he will 
punish Jews; wherefore he saith, "Of the Jew first, or 
chiefly, and also of the Gentile." Rom. ii. 9. Yea, in hell 
he has prepared several degrees of punishment for the 
several sorts or degrees of offenders — "And some shall re- 
ceive greater damnation." Luke xx. 47. And will it not 
be unmeet for us to think, since God is so exact in all his 
doings, that he will, without his weights and measures, give 
to soul and body, as I may say, carelessly, not severally, 
their punishments according to the desert and merit of each ? 

3. The punishment of the soul in hell must needs, to be 
sure, as to degree, differ from the punishment of the body 
there. When I say, differ, I mean, must needs be greater, 
whether the body be punished' with the same fire as the 
soul, or fire of another nature. If it be punished with the 
same fire, yet not in the same way; for the fire of guilt 
with the apprehensions of indignation and wrath are most 
properly felt and apprehended by the soul, and by the body 
by virtue of its union with the soul; and so felt by the 
body, if not only, yet I think mostly, by way of sympathy 
with the soul (and the cause, we say, is worse than the dis- 
ease); and if the wrath of God, and the apprehensions of 
it, as discharging itself for sin and the breach of the law, 
be that with which the soul is punished, as sure it is, then 
the body is punished by the effects, or by those influences 
that the soul in its torments has upon the body, by virtue of 
that great oneness and union that is between them. 

But if there be a punishment prepared for the body dis- 
tinct in kind from that which is prepared for the soul, yet 
it must be a punishment inferior to that which is prepared 
for the soul. Not that the soul and body shall be severed, 
but being made of things distinct, their punishments will be 
by that which is most suitable to each. I say, it must be 
inferior, because nothing can be so hot, so tormenting, so 
'intolerably insupportable, as the quickest apprehensions of, 

9 



98 THE GREATNESS OE THE SOUL. 

and the immediate sinking under, that guilt and indignation 
that is proportionable to the offence. Should all the wood, 
and brimstone, and combustible matter on earth be gathered 
together for the tormenting of one body, yet that cannot 
yield that torment which the sense of guilt and burning-hot 
application of the mighty indignation of God will do to the 
soul ; yea, suppose the fire wherewith the body is tormented 
in hell should be seven times hotter than any of our fires; 
yea, suppose it again to be seven times hotter than that 
which is seven times hotter than ours ; yet it must, suppose 
it be but created fire, be infinitely short (as to torment- 
ing operation) of the unspeakable wrath of God, when in the 
heat thereof he applieth it, and doth punish the soul for sin 
therewith in hell. 

So, then, whether the body be tormented with the same 
fire wherewith the soul is tormented, or whether the fire be 
of another kind, yet it is not possible that it should bear 
the same punishment as to degree, for the causes that I have 
showed. Nor indeed is it meet it should, because the body 
has not sinned so grievously as the soul has done y and God 
proportioned the punishment suitably to the offence. 

4. "With the soul by itself are the most quick and suita- 
ble apprehensions of God and his wrath; wherefore that 
must needs be made partaker of the sorest punishment in 
hell. It is the soul that now is most subtle at discerning, 
and it is the soul that will be so. Then conscience, memory, 
understanding, and mind, these will be the seat of torment ; 
since the understanding will let wrath immediately upon 
these, from what it apprehends of that wrath; conscience 
will let in the wrath of God immediately upon these, from 
what it fearfully feels of that wrath ; the memory will then 
as a vessel receive and retain up to the brim of this wrath, 
even as it receivetfi'by the understanding and conscience, 
the cause of this wrath, and considers the durableness of it ; 
so then the soul is the seat and receiver of wrath, even as it 



PROPER PUNISHMENT OF THE BODY. 99 

was the receiver and seat of sin. Here then is sin and wrath 
upon the soul, the soul in the body, and so soul and body 
tormented in hell-fire. 

5. The soul will be most tormented, because strongest; 
the biggest burden must lie upon the strongest part, espe- 
cially since also it is made capable of it by its sin. The 
soul must bear its own punishment, and a great part of the 
body's too, forasmuch as so far as apprehension goes, the 
soul will be quicker at that work than the body. The body 
will have its punishment to lie mostly in feeling, but the 
soul in feeling and apprehending both. True, the body by 
the help of the soul will see too, but the soul will see yet 
abundantly further. And good reason that the soul should 
bear part of the punishment of the body, because it was 
through its allurements that the body yielded to help the 
soul to sin. The devil presented sin, the soul took it by the 
body, and now devil, and soul, and body, and all must be 
lost, cast away — that is, damned in hell for sin ; but the soul 
must be the burden-bearer. 

Object. But you may say, Doth not this give encourage- 
ment to sinners to give way to the body, to be in all its mem- 
bers loose, and vain, and wicked, as instruments to sin ? 

Answ. No; forasmuch as the body shall also have its 
share in punishment. For though I have said the soul shall 
have more punishment than the body, yet I have not said 
that the body shall at all be eased by that; no, the body 
will have its due. And for the better making out of my 
answer further, consider these following particulars. 

1. The body will be the vessel to hold a tormented soul 
in; this will be something; therefore man, man damned, 
is called a vessel of wrath (Rom. ix. 22), a vessel, and that 
in both body and soul. The soul receiveth wrath into it- 
self, and the body holdeth that soul that has thus received, 
and is tormented with, this wrath of Grod. Now the body 
being a vessel to hold this soul, that is thus possessed with 



100 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

the wrath of God, must needs itself be afflicted and tor- 
mented with that torment, because of its union with the 
body; therefore the Holy Ghost saith, "His flesh upon him 
shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn. Job 
xiv. 22. Both shall have their torment and misery, for 
that both joined hand and hand in sin; the soul to bring it 
to the birth, and the body to midwife it into the world; 
therefore it saith again, with reference to the body, " Let 
the curse come into his bowels like water, and like oil into 
his bones. Let it be to him as the garment which covereth 
him, and for a girdle," &e. Psalm cix. 17-19. The body, 
then, will be tormented as well as the soul, by being a ves- 
sel to hold that soul in, that is now possessed and distressed 
with the unspeakable wrath and indignation of the Almighty 
God. And this will be a great deal, if you consider, 

2. That the body as a body will by reason of its union 
with the soul be as sensible, and so as capable in its kind, 
to receive correction and torment as ever, nay, I think 
more ; for if the quickness of the soul giveth quickness of 
sense to the body, as in some cases, at least, I am apt to 
think it doth, then forasmuch as the soul will now be most 
quick, most sharp in apprehension, so the body by reason 
of union and sympathy with the soul will be most quick 
and most sharp as to sense. Indeed, if the body should not 
receive and retain sense, yea, all its senses, by reason of its 
being a vessel to hold the soul, the torment of the soul could 
not, as torment, be ministered to the body, any more than the 
fire tormented the king of Babylon's furnace (Dan. iii. 19), 
or than the king of Moab's limekiln was afflicted because 
the king of Edom's bones were burnt to lime therein. Amos 
ii. 1. But now the body has received again its senses, now 
therefore it must, yea, it cannot choose but must feel that 
wrath of God, that is let out, yea, poured out like floods of 
water, into the soul. 

Remember also, that besides what the body receiveth 



PUNISHMENT OF THE BODY ALSO. 101 

from the soul by reason of its union and sympathy there- 
with, there is a punishment, though I will not pretend to 
tell you exactly what it is, prepared for the body, for its 
joining with the soul in sin, and instruments of punishment 
therewith to punish; a punishment, I say, that shall fall 
immediately upon the body, and that such an one as will 
most fitly suit the nature of the body, as wrath and guilt do 
most fitly suit the nature of the soul. 

3. Add to these, the durable condition that the body (in 
this state) is now in with the soul. Time was when the 
body died, and the soul lived, and that the soul was tor- 
mented while the body slept and rested in the dust; but 
now these things are past ; for at the day of judgment, as I 
said, these two shall be re-united, and that which once did 
separate them be destroyed; then of necessity they must 
abide together, and as together abide the punishment pre- 
pared for them ; and this will greaten the torment of the 
body. 

Death was the wages of sin, and once a grievous curse ; 
but might the damned meet with it in hell, they would 
count it a mercy, because it would separate soul and body, 
and not only so, but take away all sense from the body, 
and make it incapable of suffering torment; yea, I will 
add, and by that means give the soul some ease ; for without 
doubt, as the torments of the soul extend themselves to 
the body, so the torments of the body extend themselves to 
the soul; nor can it be otherwise, because of union and 
sympathy. But death — natural death — shall be destroyed, 
and there shall be no more natural death, no, not in hell. 
1 Cor. xv. 26. And now it shall happen to men, as it hath 
done in less and inferior judgments. u They shall seek 
death, and desire to die, and death shall not be found by 
them." Jer ix. 21. Thus therefore they must abide to- 
gether. Death that used to separate them asunder is now 
slain — 1. Because it was an enemy in keeping Christ's body 

9* 



102 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

in the grave ; and 2, because a friend to carnal men ; in that, 
though it was a punishment in itself, jet while it lasted and 
had dominion over the body of the wicked, it hindered them 
of that great and just judgment which for sin was due unto 
them ; and this is the third discovery of the manner and 
way of punishing of the body. But, 

4. There will then be such things to be seen and heard, 
which the eye and the ear (to say no more than has been 
said of the sense of feeling) will see and hear, as will 
greatly aggravate the punishment of the body in hell. For 
though the eye is the window, and the ear a door for the 
soul to look out at, and also to receive in by, yet whatever 
goeth in at the ear or the eye leaves influence upon the 
body, whether it be that which the soul delighteth in, or 
that which the soul abhorreth. For as the eye affecteth the 
heart, or soul (Lam. iii. 51), so the eye and ear, by hearing 
and beholding, both ofttimes afflict the body. " When I 
heard, my belly trembled, rottenness entered into my bones/ ' 
Hab. iii. 16. 

Now, I say, as the body after its resurrection to damna- 
tion, to everlasting shame and contempt (Dan. xii. 2 ; John 
v. 29), will receive all its senses again, so it will have mat- 
ter to exercise them upon; not only letting into the soul 
those aggravations which they by hearing, feeling, and see- 
ing, are capable of letting in thither, but, I say, they will 
have matter and things to exercise themselves upon for 
helping forward the torment of the body. Under temporal 
judgments of old, the body as well as the soul had no ease, 
day nor night, and that not only by reason of what was felt, 
but by reason of what was heard and seen. " In the morn- 
ing thou shalt say, Would Grod it were even ! and at even 
thou shalt say, Would God it were morning I" 1. "For the 
fear of thine heart, wherewith thou shalt fear ;" 2, "and 
for the sight of thine eyes, which thou shalt see." Deut. 
xxviii. 67. Nay, he tells them a little before that " they 



FEARFUL SIGHTS IN HELL. 103 

should be mad for the sight of their eyes which they should 
see." Deut. xxviii. 34. 

See ! why, what shall they see ? Why, themselves in 
hell, with others like them ; and this will be a torment to 
their body. There is bodily torment, as I said, ministered 
to the body by the senses of the body. What think you? 
If a man saw himself in prison, in irons, upon the ladder, 
with the rope about his neck, would not this be distress to 
the body as well as to the mind ? To the body, doubtless. 
Witness the heavy looks, the shaking legs, trembling knees, 
pale face, and beating and aching heart; how much more, 
then, when men shall see themselves in the most dreadful 
place (Luke xvi. 28) ; it is a fearful place, doubtless, to all 
that shall come thither, to behold themselves in. 

Again ; they shall see others there, and shall by them 
see themselves. There is an art by which a man may make 
his neighbor look so ghastly, that he shall fright himself 
by looking on him, especially when he thinks of himself, 
that he is of the same show also. It is said concerning 
men at the downfall of Babylon, that they shall be amazed 
one at another, " for their faces shall be as flames. " Isa. 
xiii. 8. And what if one should say, that even as it is with 
a house set on fire within, where the flame ascends out at 
the chimneys, out at the windows, and the smoke out at 
every chink and crevice that it can find, so it will be with 
the damned in hell. That soul will breathe hell-fire and 
smoke, and coals will seem to hang upon its burning lips; 
yea, the face, eyes, and ears will seem all to be chimneys 
and vents for the flame and smoke of the burning which 
G-od by his breath hath kindled therein and upon them, 
which will be beheld one in another, to the great torment 
and distress of each other. 

Whall shall I say ? Here will be seen devils, and here 
will be heard howlings and mournings ; here will the soul 
see itself at an infinite distance from G-od ; yea, the body 



104 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

will see it too. In a word, who knows the power of Grod's 
wrath, the weight of sin, the torments of hell, and the 
length of eternity ? If none, then none can tell, when they 
have said what they can, the intolerableness of the torments 
that will swallow up the soul, the lost soul, when it is cast 
away by G-od, and from him, into outer darkness, for sin. 
But thus much for the Cause of the loss of the Soul. 



CHAPTER VI. 

MEN WILLING TO BE SAVED WHEN TOO LATE. 

I now come to the second doctrine that I gathered from 
the text — namely, that however unconcerned and 

CARELESS SOME NOW BE ABOUT THE LOSS OR SALVA- 
TION OF THEIR SOULS, THE DAY IS COMING (BUT IT WILL 
THEN BE TOO LATE) WHEN MEN WILL BE WILLING, HAD 
THEY NEVER SO MUCH, TO GIVE IT ALL IN EXCHANGE FOR 
THEIR SOULS. 

There are four things in the words of the text that do 
prove this doctrine. 

1. There is an intimation of life and sense in the man 
that has lost, and that after he has lost, his soul in hell — 
"Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" 
These words are by no means applicable to the man that 
has no life or sense ; for he that is dead according to our 
common acceptation of death, that is deprived of life and 
sense, would not give twopence to change his state ; there- 
fore the words do intimate that the man is yet alive and 
sensible. Now were a man alive and sensible, though he 
was in none other place than the grave, there to be con- 
fined, while others are at liberty, what would he give in 
exchange for his place, and to be rid of that for a better ! 
but how much more to be delivered from hell, the present 
place and state of his soul ! 

2. There is in the text an intimation of a sense of tor- 
ment — "Or what shall a man give in exchange for his 
soul ?" — " I am tormented in this flame." Torment, then, 
the soul is sensible of, and that there is a place of ease and 
peace. And from the sense and feeling of torment, he 

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106 THE GREATNESS OE THE SOUL. 

would give, yea, what would he not give, in exchange for 
his soul? 

3. There is in the text an intimation of the intolerable- 
ness of the torment; because that it supposeth that the man 
whose soul is swallowed up therewith would give all, were 
his all never so great, in exchange for his soul. 

4. There is yet in the text an intimation that the soul is 
sensible of the lastingness of the punishment; or else the 
question rather argues a man unwary than considerate, in 
his offering, as is supposed by Christ, so largely his all in 
exchange for his soul. 

But we will in this manner proceed no further, but take 
it for granted that the doctrine is good ; wherefore I shall 
next inquire after what is contained in this truth. And, 
first, that God has undertaken, and will accomplish, the 
breaking of the spirits of all the world ; either by his grace 
and mercy to salvation, or by his justice and severity to dam- 
nation. 

The damned soul under consideration is certainly sup- 
posed, as by the doctrine, so by the text, to be utterly care- 
less, and without regard of salvation, so long as the accept- 
able time did last, and as the white flag that signifies terms 
of peace did hang out ; and therefore it is said to be lost ; 
but, behold, now it is careful, but now it is solicitous, but 
now, " what shall a man give in exchange for his soul V 
He of whom you read in the gospel, that could mind to do 
nothing in the days of the gospel but to find out how to be 
clothed in purple and fine linen, and to fare sumptuously 
every day, was by Grod so brought down, and laid so low at 
last, that he could crouch, and cringe, and beg for one small 
drop of water to cool his tongue (Luke xvi. 19, 24) ; a thing 
that but a little before he would have thought scorn to have 
done, when he also thought scorn to stoop to the grace and 
mercy of the gospel. But God was resolved to break his 
spirit, and the pride of his heart, and to humble his lofty 



GOD WILL BREAK ALL SPIRITS. 107 

looks, if not by his mercy, yet by bis justice ; if not by his 
grace, yet by hell-fire. 

This he also threatens to bring upon the fools, in the Pro- 
verbs — " They shall call, they shall seek, they shall cry." 
Prov. i. 22-32; Zech. vii. 11-13. Who shall do so ? The 
answer is, They that sometime scorned either to seek, or 
call, or cry; they that stopped their ears, that pulled away 
their shoulders, and that refused to seek, or call, or cry to 
God for mercy. 

Sinner, careless sinner, didst thou take notice of this first 
inference that I have drawn from my second doctrine ? If 
thou didst, yet read it again ; it is this, " God has under- 
taken, and will accomplish, the breaking of the spirits of all 
the world ; either by his grace and mercy unto salvation, or 
by his justice and severity to damnation." 

The reason for this is this : God is resolved to have the 
mastery, he is resolved to have the victory. " Who will set 
the briers and thorns against me in battle, I will go through 
them and burn them together." Isa. xxvii. 4. God will 
march against them. He is merciful, and is come forth 
into the world by his Son, tendering grace to sinners by the 
gospel, and would willingly make a conquest over them for 
their good by his mercy. Now he being come out, sinners 
like briers and thorns do set themselves against him, and 
will -have none of his mercy. Well, but what says God ? 
He saith, " Then I will march on. I will go through them, 
and burn them together/' I am resolved to have the mas- 
tery one way or another; if they will not bend to me, and 
accept of my mercy in the gospel, I will bend them, and 
break them by my justice in hell-fire. They say they will 
not bend ; I say they shall ; now they shall know " whose 
word shall stand, mine or theirs." Jer. xliv. 25-28. Where- 
fore the apostle, when he saw that some of the Corinthians 
began to be unruly, and to do those things that did begin to 
hazard them, saith, "Do ye provoke the Lord to jealousy? 



108 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

are ye stronger than lie ?" 1 Cor. x. 20-22. As if he 
should say, My brethren, are you aware what you do ? do 
you not understand that God is resolved to have the mastery 
one way or another ? and are you stronger than he ? If not, 
tremble before him, or he will certainly have you under his 
feet. "I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them 
in my fury." Isa. lxiii. 3. Thus he speaks of them that set 
themselves against him ; therefore beware. — Now the reason 
of this resolution of God is this : it flows from a determina- 
tion in him to make all his sayings good, and to verify them 
on the consciences of sinners. And since the incredulous 
world will not believe now, and fly from wrath, they shall 
shortly believe and cry under it ; since they will not now 
credit the word before they see, unto salvation, they shall 
be made to credit it by sense and feeling, unto damnation. 

The second inference that I draw from my second doc- 
trine is this : " That it is, and will be the lot of some to bow 
and break before God too late, or when it is too later 

God is resolved, as I said, to have the mastery, and that 
not only in a way of dominion and lordship in general (for 
that he has now), but he is resolved to master — that is, to 
break the spirit of the world, to make all men cringe and 
crouch unto him, even those who now say " There is no 
God;" or, if there be, yet " What is the Almighty, that we 
should serve him?" Ps. xiv. 1; Job xxi. 15; Mai. iii. 14. 

This is little thought of by those that now harden their 
hearts in wickedness, and that turn their spirit against God ; 
but this they shall think of, this they must think of, this 
God will make them think of, in that day (2 Pet. iii. 1-4) ; 
at which day they also now do mock and deride, that the 
scripture might be fulfilled upon them. And, I say, they 
shall think then of these things, and break at heart, and 
melt under the hand, and power, and majesty of the Al- 
mighty; for "As I live," saith God, " every knee shall bow 
to me ; every tongue shall confess to God." Isa. xlv, 23 ; 



SOME WILL BOW WHEN TOO LATE. 109 

Rom. xiv. 10-12. And again, "The nations shall see, and 
be confounded at all their might ; they shall lay their hand 
upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf; they shall lick 
the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes 
like worms, or creeping things of the earth ) they shall be 
afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of thee." 
Micah vii. 16, 17. 

For then they, will they, nill they, shall have to do with 
God, though not with him as merciful, or as one that may 
be entreated ; yet with him as just, and as devouring fire. 
Heb. xii. last verse. Yea, they shall see that face, and 
hear that voice, from which the heavens and the earth shall 
flee away, and find no place. Rev. xx. 11. And by this ap- 
pearance, and by such words of his mouth as he then will 
speak to them, they shall begin to tremble, and call for the 
rocks to fall upon them and cover them. Rev. vi. 16. For 
if these things will happen at the execution of inferior 
judgments, what will be done, what effects will the last, 
most dreadful, and eternal judgment have upon men's souls? 

Hence you find that at the very appearance of Jesus 
Christ, the whole world begins to mourn and lament — 
" Every eye shall see him, and they also that pierced him : 
and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." 
Rev. i. 7. And therefore you also find them to stand at the 
door, and knock, saying, " Lord, Lord, open unto us." Luke 
xiii. 25, 26 ; Matt. xxv. Moreover, you find them also de- 
siring, yea, also so humble in their desires as to be content 
with the least degree of mercy — one drop, one drop upon the 
tip of one's finger. Luke xvi. 24. What stooping, what 
condescension, what humility is here ! All and every one 
of these passages declare that the hand of God is upon them, 
and that the Almighty has got the mastery of them, has 
conquered them, broken the pride of their power, and laid 
them low, and made them cringe and crouch unto him, 
bending the knee, and craving kindness. 

10 



110 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

Thus, then, will Grod bow, and "bend, and break them ; 
yea, make them bow, and bend, and break before him. 
And hence also it is that they will weep, and mourn, and 
gnash their teeth, and cry, and repent that ever they have 
been so foolish so wicked, so traitorous to their souls, and 
such enemies of their own eternal happiness, as to stand out 
in the day of their visitation in a way of rebellion against 
the Lord. 

But here is their hard hap, their dismal lot and portion, 
that all these things must be when it is too late. It is, and 
will be, the lot and hap of these to bow, bend, and break 
too late. 

You read, they come weeping and mourning, and with 
tears ; they knock and cry for mercy. But what did tears 
avail ? Why nothing ; for the door was shut. He answered 
and said, " I know you not whence you are." Luke xiii. 
26-28. But they repeat and renew their suit, saying, " We 
have eat and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in 
our streets." What now ? Why, he returns upon them his 
first answer the second time, saying, " I tell you, I know 
you not whence you are ; depart from me, all ye workers of 
iniquity;" then he concludes, " There shall be weeping and 
gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, 
and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of Grod, and 
yourselves thrust out." They come weeping, and go weep- 
ing away. They came to him weeping, for they saw that he 
had conquered them ; but they departed weeping, for they saw 
that he would damn them ; yet, as we read in Matt. xxv. 
44, they were very loath to go from him, by their reason- 
ing and expostulating with him — " Lord, when saw we thee 
an hungered, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or 
in prison, and did not minister unto thee ?" But all would 
not do; here is no place for change of mind, — " These shall 
go away into everlasting punishment ; but the righteous into 
life eternal." And now what would a man give in exchange 



VAIN LONGINGS OF THE LOST. Ill 

for his soul ? So, that, as I said before, all is too late ! 
they mourn too late, they repent too late, they pray too late, 
and seek to make an exchange for their soul too late ! 

"What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" 
Two or three things there may yet be gathered from these 
words; I mean, as to the desires of them that have lost 
their souls, to make for them an exchange : " What shall 
a man give in exchange?" — what shall, what would, yea, 
what would not a man, if he had it, give in exchange for 
his soul ? 

1. What would not a man — I mean, a man in the con- 
dition that is by the text supposed some men are and will 
be in — give in exchange to have another man's virtues 
instead of his own vices? " Let me die the death of the 
righteous;" let my soul be in the state of the soul of the 
righteous — that is, with reference to his virtues, when I 
die, " and let my last end be like his." Num. xxiii. 10. It 
is a sport now to some, to taunt, and squib, and deride 
other men's virtues; but the day is coming when their 
minds will be changed, and when they shall be made to 
count those that have done those righteous actions and 
duties which they have scoffed at, the only blessed men; 
yea, they shall wish their soul in the blessed possession of 
those graces and virtues which those whom they hated were 
accompanied with, and would, if they had it, give a whole 
world for this change ; but it will not now do, it is now 
too late. What then shall a man give in exchange for his 
soul? And this is more than intimated in that twenty- 
fifth of Matthew named before ; for you find by that text 
how loath they were, or will be, to be counted for unright- 
eous people — " Lord," say they, " when did we see thee an 
hungered, or athirst, naked, or sick, and did not minister 
unto thee ?" Now they are not willing to be of the number 
of the wicked, though heretofore the ways of the righteous 
were an abomination to them. But, alas ! they are before 



112 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

a just God, a just Judge, a Judge that will give every one 
according to his ways ; therefore, " Woe to the soul of the 
wicked now. It shall go ill with him, for the reward of 
his hands shall be given him." Isa. iii. 11. Thus, there- 
fore, he is locked up as to this j he cannot now change his 
vices for virtues, nor put himself nor his soul in the stead 
of the soul of the saved ; so that it still and will for ever 
abide a question unresolved, "What shall a man give in 
exchange for his soul ?" I do not doubt but that a man's 
state may be such in this world, that if he had it he would 
give thousands of gold to be as innocent and guiltless in 
the judgment of the law of the land, as is the state of such 
or such; heartily wishing that himself was not what he is; 
how much more then will men wish thus when they stand 
ready to receive the last, their eternal judgment. " But 
what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" 

2. As they would for the salvation of their souls be glad 
to change away their vices for the virtues, their sins for the 
good deeds, of others, so what would they not give to change 
places now, or to remove from where now they are, into 
paradise, into Abraham's bosom ? 

But neither shall this be admitted ; the righteous must 
have their inheritance to themselves. "Neither," said Abra- 
ham, " can they pass to us, that would come from thence" 
(Luke xvi. 26) ; neither can they dwell in heaven that 
would come from hell. 

They then that have lost, or shall lose, their souls, are 
bound to their place, as well as to their sins. When Judas 
went to hell, he went to his home, to his own place (Acts i. 
25) ; and when the righteous go hence, they also go home 
to their home, to their own place; for the kingdom of 
heaven is prepared for them. Matt. xxv. 34. Between 
heaven and hell, " there is a great gulf fixed." Luke xvi. 
32. That is a strong passage; — there is a great gulf fixed. 

What this gulf is, and how impassable, they that shall 



CHANGELESS CONDITION OF THE LOST. 113 

lose their souls will know to their woe ; because it is fixed 
there where it is on purpose to keep them in their torment- 
ing place, so that they that would pass from hell to heaven 
cannot. But I say, " "Would they not change places ? 
would they not have a more comfortable house and home 
for their souls V* Yes, verily, the text supposes it, and the 
16th of Luke afhrins it; yea, and could they purchase for 
their soul a habitation among the righteous, would they 
not ? Yes, they would give all the world for such a change. 
What shall, what shall not a man, if he had it, if it would 
answer his design, give in exchange for his soul? 

3. As the damned would change their own vices for 
virtues, and the place where they are for that into which 
they shall not come, so what would they give for a change 
of condition ? Yea, if an absolute change may not be 
obtained, yet what would they give for the least degree 
of mitigation of that torment which now they know will 
without any intermission be, and that for ever and ever ? 
" Tribulation and anguish, indignation and wrath" (Rom. 
ii. 8, 9) ; the gnawing worm, and everlasting destruction 
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his 
power (2 Thess. i. 7-10), cannot be borne but with great 
horror and grief; no marvel then if these poor creatures 
would for ease for their souls be glad to change their con- 
ditions. Change! — with whom? with an angel, with a 
saint ; ay, with a dog or a toad ; for they mourn not, they 
weep not, nor do they bear indignation of wrath; they are 
as if they had not been; only the sinful soul abides in its 
sins, in the place designed for lost souls, and in the condition 
that wrath and indignation for sin and transgression, hath 
decreed them to abide for ever. And this brings me to the 
conclusion, which is, that seeing the ungodly do seek good 
things too late, therefore, notwithstanding their seeking, 
they must still abide in their place, their sins, and their tor- 
ment. "For what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" 

10* 



114 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

Therefore G-od saith, that the lost there must still 
abide and dwell; no exchange can be made. Isaiah 1. 11; 
Ezek. xxxii. 25-27. " This shall they have of mine hand, 
they shall lie down in sorrow;" they shall lie down in it, 
they shall make their bed there, there they shall lie. And 
this is the bitter pill that they must swallow down at last; 
for after all their tears, their sorrows, their mournings, 
their repentings, their wishings and wouldings, and all 
their inventings and desires to change their state for a 
better, they must lie down in sorrow. The poor condemned 
man that is upon the ladder or scaffold has, if one knew 
them, many a long wish and long desire that he might come 
down again alive, or that his condition was as one of the 
spectators that are not condemned, and brought thither to be 
executed, as he. How carefully also doth he look with his 
failing eyes, to see if some one comes not from the king with 
a pardon for him, all the while endeavoring to fumble away 
as well as he can, and to prolong the minute of his exe- 
cution. But at last, when he has looked, when he has 
wished, when he has desired, and done whatever he can, 
the blow with the axe, or turn with the ladder, is his lot ; 
so he goes off the scaffold, so he goes from among men. 
And thus it will be with those that we have under con- 
sideration ; when all comes to all, and they have said, and 
wished, and done what they can, the judgment must not be 
reversed — they must lie down in sorrow. 

They must, or shall, "lie down." Of old, when a man was 
to be chastised for his fault, he was to lie down to receive 
his stripes; so here, saith the Lord, they shall lie down — 
"x^nd it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, 
the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten 
before his face." Deut. xxv. 2. And this lying down was to 
be his lot after he had pleaded for himself what he could — 
and the judge shall cause him to be beaten before his face, 
while he is present to behold the execution of judgment. 



SUBMISSION TO PUNISHMENT. 115 

And thus it shall be at the end of the world ; the wicked 
shall lie down, and shall be beaten with many stripes, in the 
presence of Christ, and in the presence of the holy angels. 
2 Thess. i. ; Rev. xiv. 10. For there will be his presence, 
not only at the trial as judge, but to see execution done, 
nay, to do it himself by pouring out his wrath, like a river 
of burning brimstone, upon the soul of the lost and cast- 
away sinner. 

They shall u lie down." These words imply that at last 
the damned soul shall submit ; for to lie down is an act that 
signifies submission, especially to lie down to be beaten. 
" The wicked shall be silent in darkness." When the male- 
factor has said and wished all that he can, yet at last he 
submits, is silent, and, as it were, helps to put his head into 
the halter, or doth lay down his neck upon the block. 1 Sam. 
ii, 9. So here it is said of the damned — " they shall lie 
down in sorrow." There is also a place that saith, " These 
shall go away into everlasting punishment." Matt. xxv. 46. 
To go — to go to punishment, is also an act of submission. 
Now submission to punishment doth, or should, flow from 
full conviction of the merit of punishment; and I think it 
is so to be understood here. " For every mouth shall be 
stopped, and all the world (of soul-losers) become guilty be- 
fore G-od." Rom. iii. 4, 19. Every mouth shall be stopped, 
not at the beginning of the judgment, for then they plead, 
and pray, and also object against the judge; but at the end, 
after by a judicial proceeding he shall have justified against 
them his sayings, and have overcome these his judges, then 
they shall submit, and also lie down in sorrow ; yea, they 
shall go away to their punishment as those who know they 
deserve it; yea, they shall go away with silence. Luke xiii. 
25-28 ; Matt. xxv. 44. Now, 

How they shall behave themselves in hell, I will not 
here dispute ; whether in a way of rage and blasphemy, and 
in rending and tearing the name and just actions of God 



116 THE GREATNESS OE THE SOUL. 

towards them, or whether by way of submission there ; I 
say, though this is none of the task I have taken in hand, 
yet a word or two, if you please. 

Doubtless they will not be mute there ; they will cry, and 
wail, and gnash their teeth, and perhaps too sometimes at 
G-od ; but I do think that the justice they have deserved, 
and the equal administration of it upon them, will for the 
most part prevail with them to rend and tear themselves, to 
acquit and justify God, and to add fuel to their fire by con- 
cluding themselves in all the fault, and that they have suffi- 
ciently merited this just damnation. For it would seem 
strange to me that just judgment among men shall termi- 
nate in this issue, if God should not justify himself in the 
conscience of all the damned. But as here on earth, so he 
will let them that go to hell know, that he hath not done 
without a cause, a sufficient cause, all that he hath done in 
damning them. Ezek. xiv. 23. 



CHAPTER VII. 

APPLICATION OP THE SUBJECT. 

I come now to make some use and application of the 
whole. And, 

1. If the Soul be so excellent a thing as we have made it 
appear to be, and if the loss thereof be so great a loss, then 
here you may see who are the extravagant ones; I mean, those 
that are such in the highest degree. Solomon tells us of 
a great waster, and saith also, that " He that is slothful 
in his business, is brother to such an one." Prov. xviii. 9. 
"Who Solomon had his eye upon, or who it was that he 
counted so great a waster, I cannot tell ; but I will chal- 
lenge all the world to show me one, who for wasting and de- 
stroying may be compared to him, that for the lusts and 
pleasures of this life will hazard the loss of his Soul. Many 
men will "be so profuse, and will spend at that prodigal rate, 
that they will bring a thousand pounds a year to five hun- 
dred, and five hundred to fifty, and some also will bring that 
fifty to less than ninepence ; but what is this to him that 
shall never leave losing until he has lost his soul ? I have 
heard of some who would throw away a farm, a good estate, 
upon the trundling of one single bowl; but what is this to 
the casting away the Soul ? I say, what is this to the loss 
of the Soul, and that for less than the trundling of a bowl ? 
Nothing can for badness be compared to sin ; it is the vilest 
thing; it cannot have a worse name than its own; it is 
worse than the vilest man, than the vilest of beasts ; yea, 
sin is worse than the devil himself, for it is sin, and sin 
only, that hath made the devils devils ; and yet for this, for 
this vile, this abominable thing, some men, yea, most men, 

(117) 



118 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

will venture the loss of their soul ; yea ; they will mortgage, 
pawn, and set their souls to sale for it. Jer. xliv. 4. Is not 
this a great waster ? Doth not this man deserve to be ranked 
among the extravagant ones ? What think you of him who 
when he tempted the wench to uncleanness said to her, "If 
thou wilt venture thy body, I will venture my soul V Was 
not here likely to be a fine bargain, think you ? or was not 
this man likely to be a gainer by so doing ? This is he that 
prizes sin at a higher rate than he doth his immortal soul ; 
yea, this is he that esteems a quarter of an hour's pleasure 
more than he fears everlasting damnation. What shall I 
say ? This man is minded to give more to be damned, than 
God requires he should give to be saved ; is not this an ex- 
travagant one ? " Be astonished, O ye heavens ! at this, 
and be ye horribly afraid ?" Jer. ii. 9-12. Yea, let all the 
angels stand amazed at the unaccountable prodigality of 
such an one. 

Object. 1. But some may say, I cannot believe that G-od 
will be so severe as to cast away into hell-fire an immortal 
soul for a little sin. 

Answ. — I know thou canst not believe it, for if thou 
couldst, thou wouldst sooner eat fire than run this hazard ; 
and hence all they that go down to the lake of fire are 
called the unbelievers ; and the Lord shall cut thee (that 
makest this objection) asunder, and shall appoint thee thy 
portion with such, except thou believe the gospel, and re- 
pent. Luke xii. 46. 

Object. 2. But surely, though G-od should be so angry 
at the beginning, it cannot in time but grieve him to see 
and hear souls roaring in hell, and that for a little sin. 

Answ. Whatsoever G-od doeth, it abideth for ever. Eccles. 
iii. 14. He doeth nothing in a passion, or in an angry fit ; 
he proceedeth with sinners by the most perfect rules of jus- 
tice ; wherefore it would be injustice to deliver them whom 
the law condemneth, yea, he would falsify his word, if after 



OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 119 

a time lie should deliver them from hell, concerning whom 
he hath solemnly testified that they shall be there for ever. 

Object. 3. Oh, but, as he is just, so he is merciful; and 
mercy is pitiful, and very compassionate to the afflicted. 

Answ. Oh, but mercy abused becomes most fearful in 
tormenting. Did you never read that the Lamb turned 
lion, and that the world will tremble at the wrath of the 
Lamb, and be afflicted more at the thoughts of that, than at 
the thoughts of any thing that shall happen to them, in the 
day when God shall call them to an account for their sins? 
Rev. vi. 16, 17. 

The time of mercy will be then past; for now is that ac- 
ceptable time, behold now is the day of salvation ; the gate 
of mercy will then be shut, and must not be opened again ; 
for now is that gate open, now it is open for a door of hope. 
2 Cor. vi. 2; Matt. xxv. 10; Luke xiii. 25. 

The time of showing pity and compassion will then be 
at an end ; for that, as to acting towards sinners, will last but 
till the glass of the world is run ; and when that day is past, 
mark what God saith shall follow, " I will laugh at your 
calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh ; when your 
fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh like 
a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you." 
Prov. i. 26, 27. 

Mark you, with how many pinching expressions the 
Lord Jesus Christ doth threaten the refusing sinner, who 
refuseth him now — I will laugh at him, I will mock at him. 
But when, Lord, wilt thou laugh at, and mock at, the im- 
penitent ? The answer is, "I will laugh at their calamities, 
and mock when their fear cometh; when their fear cometh 
as desolation, and their destruction like a whirlwind; when 
distress and anguish cometh upon them." 

Object. 4. But if G-od Almighty be at this point, and 
there be no moving of him to mercy at that day, yet we 



120 THE GREATNESS OE THE SOUL. 

can but lie in hell till we are burnt out, as the log doth at 
the back of the fire. 

Poor besotted sinner ! is this thy last shift ? Wilt thou 
comfort thyself with this ? Are thy sins so dear, so sweet, 
so desirable, so profitable to thee, that thou wilt venture a 
burning in hell-fire for them till thou art burnt out ? Is 
there nothing else to be done but to make a covenant with 
death, and to maintain thy agreement with hell ? Isa. 
xxviii. 15. Is it not better to say now unto G-od, Do not 
condemn me ? and to say now, Lord, be merciful to me, a 
sinner? Would not tears, and prayers, and cries, to Grod 
for mercy in this acceptable time, yield thee more benefit 
in the next world, than to lie and burn out in hell will do ? 

But to come more close to thee. Have not I told thee 
already that there is no such thing as a ceasing to be? 
that the damned shall never be burned out in hell ? There 
shall be no more such death, or cause of dissolution, for 
ever. This one thing, well considered, breaks not only the 
neck of that wild conceit on which thy foolish objection is 
built, but will break thy stubborn heart in pieces. For 
then it follows, that unless thou canst conquer G-od, or with 
ease endure to conflict with his sin-revenging wrath, thou 
wilt be made to mourn while under his everlasting wrath 
and indignation ; and to know that there is not such a 
thing as a burning-out in hell-fire. 

Object. 5. But if this must be my case, I shall have 
more fellows ; I shall not go to hell, nor yet burn there, 
alone. 

Ans.- — What ! again ; is there no breaking of the league 
that is betwixt sin and thy soul ? What ! resolved to be a 
self-murderer, a soul-murderer ? What ! resolved to murder 
thine own soul ? But is there any comfort in being hanged 
with company ? in sinking into the bottom of the sea with 
company? or in going to hell, in burning in hell, and in 
enduring the everlasting pains of hell, with company ? 0, 



WHO ARE THE GREATEST FOOLS. 121 

besotted wretch ! But I tell thee, the more company, the 
more sorrow ; the more fuel, the more fire. Hence the 
damned man that we read of in Luke, desired that his 
brethren might be so warned and prevailed with as to be 
kept out of that place of torment. Luke xvi. 27, 28. 

But to hasten ; I come now to the second use. 

Use 2. Is it so? Is the soul such an 'excellent thing, 
and the loss thereof so unspeakably great ? Then here you 
may see lolio are the greatest fools in the world — namely, 
those who to get the world and its preferments will neglect 
God till they lose their souls. The rich man in the gospel 
was one of these great fools ; for he was more concerned 
about what he should do with his goods than how his soul 
should be saved. Luke xii. 16-21. Some are for venturing 
their souls for pleasures, and some are for venturing their 
souls for profits ; they that venture their souls for pleasures i 
have but little excuse for their doings ; but they that ven- 
ture their souls for profit seem to have much. " And they 
all with one consent began to make excuse." Excuse, for 
what? why, for the neglect of the salvation of their souls. 
But what was the cause of their making this excuse ? Why, 
their profits came tumbling in. " I have bought a piece of 
ground ; I have bought five yoke of oxen ; and I have mar- 
ried a (rich) wife, and therefore I cannot come." 

Thus also it was with the fool first mentioned ; his 
ground did bring forth plentifully, wherefore he must of 
necessity forget his soul, and, as he thought, all the reason 
of the world he should. Wherefore he falls to crying out, 
What shall I do ? Now, had one said, Mind the good of 
thy soul, man; the answer would have been ready, But 
where shall I bestow my goods ? If it had been replied, 
Stay till harvest; he returns again, But I have no room 
where to bestow my goods. Now tell him of praying, and 
he answers, he must go to building. Tell him he should 
frequent sermons, and he replies, he must mind his work- 

13 



122 THE GREATNESS OE THE SOUL. 

men. " He cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a 
lie in my right hand ?" Isa. xliv. 20. 

And see if in the end he did not become a fool; for 
though he accomplished the building of his barns, and put 
in there all his fruits and his goods, yet even till now his 
soul was empty, and void of all that was good. Nor did 
he, in singing that requiem which he sung to his soul at 
last, saying, " Soul, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be 
merry/' show himself ever the wiser ; for in all his labors 
he had rejected to get that food that indeed is meat and 
drink for the soul. Nay, in singing this song he did but 
provoke G-od to hasten to send and fetch his soul to hell ; for 
so begins the conclusion of the parable — " Thou fool, this 
night shall thy soul be required of thee ; then whose shall 
those things be which thou hast provided?" So that, I say, 
,it is the greatest folly in the world for a man, upon any 
pretence whatever, to neglect to make good the salvation of 
his soul. 

There are six signs of a fool, and they do all meet in that 
same man that concerns not himself, and that to good 
purpose, for the salvation of his soul. 

1. "A fool has not an heart, when the price is in his 
hand, to get wisdom." Prov. xvii. 16. 

2. "It is a sport to a fool to do mischief, and to set light 
by the commission of sin." Proverbs x. 23 ; xiv. 9. 

3. "Fools despise wisdom; fools hate knowledge." Prov. 
i. 7-22. 

4. "A fool after restraint returns to his folly." Prov. 
xxvi. 11. 

5. " The way of a fool is right in his own eyes." Prov. 
xii. 15. 

6. " The fool goes merrily to the correction of the stocks." 
Prov. vii. 22, 23. 

I might add many more, but these six shall suffice at 
this time, by which it appears that the fool has no heart 



OBJECTORS ALWAYS IN EXTREMES. 123 

for the heavenly prize, yet he has to sport himself in sin ; 
and when he despises wisdom, the way is yet right before 
him ; yea, if he be for some time restrained from vice, he 
greedily turneth again thereto; and will, when he has 
finished his course of folly and sin in this world, go as 
heedlessly, as carelessly, as unconcernedly, and quietly, 
down the steps to hell, as the ox goeth to the slaughter- 
house. 

This is a soul-fool, a fool of the biggest size. And so is 
every one also that layeth up treasure for himself on earth, 
and is not rich towards G-od. Luke xii. 21. 

Object. 1. But would you not have us mind our worldly 
concerns ? 

Ansio. — Mind them, but mind them in their place ; mind 
thy soul first and most ; the soul is more than the body, 
and eternal life better than temporal ; first seek the king- . 
dom of Grod, and prosper in thy health and thy estate as 
thy soul prospers. Matt. vi. 33 ; 3 John 2. But as it is 
rare to see this command obeyed, for the kingdom of G-od 
shall be thought of last, so if John's wish was to light upon, 
or happen to some people, they would neither have health 
nor wealth in this world. To " prosper and be in health, as 
their soul prospers" — what ! to thrive and mend in outwards 
no faster ? Then we should have them have consumptive 
bodies and low estates ; for are not the souls of most as un- 
thrifty, for grace and spiritual health, as is the tree without 
fruit, that is pulled up by the roots ? 

Object. 2. But would you have us sit still and do 
nothing ? 

Answ. — And must you needs be upon the extremes; 
must you mind this world to the damnation of your souls ; 
or will you not mind your callings at all ? Is there not a 
middle way? may you not, must you not, get your bread 
in a way of honest industry, that is, caring most for the 
next world, and so using this as not abusing the same? 



124 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

1 Cor. vii. 29-31. And then a man doth so, and never hut 
then, when he sets this world and the next in their proper 
places, in his thoughts, in his esteem, and judgment, and 
dealeth with both accordingly. 2 Cor. iv. 18. And is 
there not all the reason in the world for this ? Are not the 
things that are eternal best ? Deut. viii. 3 ; Matt. iv. 4 ; 
Heb. x. 39. Will temporal things make thy soul to live ? 
or art thou none of those that should look after the salvation 
of their soul ? 

Object. 3. But the most of men do that which you forbid, 
and why may not we ? 

Answ. — Gi-od says, " Thou shalt not follow a multitude to 
do evil." Exod. xxiii. 2 ; Matt. vi. 33. It is not what men 
do, but what Grod commands; it is not what doth present 
itself unto us, but what is best, that we should choose. Luke 
x. 41, 42. Now, " he that refuseth instruction, despiseth 
his own soul; and he that keepeth the commandment, 
keepeth his own soul." Prov. xv. 32; xix. 16. Make not 
therefore these foolish objections. But what saith the word? 
How readest thou? That tells thee, that the pleasures of 
sin are but for a season; that the things that are seen are 
but temporal; that he is a fool that is rich in this world, 
and is not so towards Grod ; " and what shall it profit a man, 
if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ?" 

Object. 4. But may one not be equally engaged for both? 

Answ. — A divided heart is a faulty one. Hos. x. 2. You 
cannot serve Grod and mammon. Matt. vi. 24 ; Luke xvi. 
13. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is 
not in him." 1 John ii. 15. And yet this objection bespeaks 
that thy heart is divided, that thou art a mammonist, or 
that thou lovest the world. But will riches profit in the 
day of wrath ? Prov. xi. 4 ; yea, are they not hurtful in the 
day of grace? Do they not tend to surfeit the heart, and to 
alienate a man and his mind from things that are better ? 
Luke xxi. 34. Why then wilt thou set thy heart upon that 



CHOICE OF SOUL-SIIEPIIERDS. 125 

which is not ? Yea, then what will become of them that are 
so far off from minding their souls, that they for whole days, 
whole weeks, whole months, and years together, scarce con- 
sider whether they have souls to save ? 

Use 3. But, thirdly, Is it so? Is the Soul such an ex- 
cellent thing, and is the loss thereof so unspeakably great ? 
Then this should teach people to be very careful to whom they 
commit the teaching and guidance of their souls. 

This is a business of the greatest concern; men will be 
careful to whom they commit their children, who they make 
the executors of their will, in whose hand they trust the 
writing and evidences of their lands ; but how much more 
careful should we be — and yet the most are the least of all 
careful — unto whom we commit the teaching and guidance 
of our souls. 

There are several sorts of soul-shepherds in the world — 

1. There are idol shepherds. Zech xi. 17. 

2. There are foolish shepherds. Zech. xi. 15. 

3. There are shepherds that feed themselves, and not 
their flock. Ezek. xxxiv. 2. 

4. There are hard-hearted and pitiless shepherds. Zech. 
xi. 3. 

5. There are shepherds that instead of healing, smite, 
push, and wound the diseased. Ezek. xxxiv. 4, 21. 

6. There are shepherds that cause their flocks to go astray. 
Jer. 1. 6; Isa. ix. 16. 

7. And there are shepherds that feed their flocks. Jer. 
xxiii. 4. These last only are the shepherds to whom thou 
shouldst commit thy soul for teaching and for guidance. 

Quest. You may ask, How should I know those shep- 
herds ? 

Answ. First, surrender up thy soul unto Grod by Christ, 
and choose Christ to be the Chief Shepherd of thy soul, (1 
Pet. ii. 25; iv. 19; John x. 4, 5; Cant. i. 7, 8,) and he will 
direct thee to his shepherds, and he will of his mercy set 

11* 



126 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL 

such shepherds oyer thee " as shall feed thee with knowledge 
and understanding. Jer. iii. 15 ; xxiii. 4. Before thou hast 
surrendered up thy soul to Christ, that he may be thy Chief 
Shepherd, thou canst not find out, nor choose to put thy 
soul under the teaching and guidance of his under-shep- 
herds, for thou canst not love them. Besides, they are so 
set forth by false shepherds, in so many ugly guises, and 
under so many false and scandalous dresses, that should I 
direct thee to them while thou art a stranger to Christ, thou 
wilt count them deceivers, devourers, and wolves in sheep's 
clothing, rather than the shepherds that belong to the great 
and Chief Shepherd, who is also the Bishop of the Soul. 

Yet this I will say unto thee, take heed of that shepherd, 
that careth not for his own soul; that walketh in ways, 
and doeth such things, as have a direct tendency to damn 
his own soul. I say, take heed of such an one ; come not 
near him j let him have nothing to do with thy soul ; for if 
he be not faithful to that which is his own soul, be sure he 
will not be faithful to that which is another man's. He 
that feeds his own soul with ashes (Isa. xliv. 20) will scarce 
feed thine with the bread of life ; wherefore, take heed of 
such an one; and many such there are in the world. "By 
their fruits you shall know them;" they are for flattering 
the worst, and frowning upon the best; they are for pro- 
mising life to the profane, and for slaying the souls that Grod 
would have live; they are also men that hunt the souls who 
fear Grod, but sew pillows under those arm-holes which Grod 
would have to lean upon that which would afflict them. 
These be them that " with lies do make the heart of the 
righteous sad, whom I have not made sad, saith God; and 
that have strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he 
should not return from his wicked way, by promising him 
life." Ezek. xiii. 18-23. 

And as thou shouldst, for thy soul's sake, choose for thy- 
self good soul-shepherds, so also, for the same reason, you 



CAUTIONS FOR ITS SALVATION. 127 

should choose for yourself a good wife, a good husband, a 
good master, a good servant; for in all these things the 
Soul is concerned. Abraham would not suffer Isaac to take 
a wife of the daughters of Canaan ; nor would David suffer 
a wicked servant to come into his house, or to tarry in his 
sight. Gren. xxiv. 3; Psalm ci. 7. Bad company is also 
very destructive to the soul, and so is evil communication. 
Prov. xiii. 20; 1 Cor. xv. 33. Wherefore be diligent to 
shun all these things, that thou mayest persevere in that 
way, the end of which will be the saving of thy soul. 

And since under this head I am fallen upon cautions, let 
me add these to those which I have presented to thee al- 
ready — 

1. Take heed, take heed of learning to do evil of any that 
are good. It is possible for a good man to do things that 
are bad; but let not his bad action embolden thee to run 
upon sin. Seest thou a good man that stumbleth at a stone, 
or that slippeth into the dirt, let that warn thee to take 
heed; let his stumble make thee wary, let his fall make 
thee look well to thy goings; "ever follow that which is 
good. 1 Thess. v. 15. Thy Soul is at stake. 

2. Take heed of the good things of bad men ; for in them 
there lies a snare also; their good words and fair speeches 
tend to deceive. Rom. xvi. 17, 18. Learn to be good by 
the word of Grod, and by the holy lives of them that be 
good; envy not the wicked, nor desire to be with him; 
choose none of his ways. Prov. iii. 31; xxiv. 1, Thy Soul 
lies at stake. 

3. Take heed of playing the hypocrite in religion. What 
of G-od and his word thou knowest, profess it honestly, con- 
form to it heartily, serve him faithfully. For what is the 
hypocrite bettered by all his profession "when God shall 
take away his Soul V Job xxvii. 8. 

4. Take heed of delays to turn to Grod, and choose his 
ways for the delight of thy heart. " For the Lord's eye is 



128 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

upon them that fear him, to deliver their souls." Psalm 

xxxiii. 18, 19. 

5. Boast not thyself of thy flocks and thy herds, of thy 
gold and thy silver, of thy sons and of thy daughters. What 
is a house full of treasures and all the delights of this world, 
if thou be empty of grace, "if thy Soul be not filled with 
good?" Eccles. vi. 3. — But, 

Use 4. Is it so ? is the Soul such an excellent thing, and 
is the loss thereof so unspeakably great ? Then I pray thee 
let me inquire a little of thee, What provision hast thou 
made for tliy soul? There be many that through their 
eagerness after the things of this life, do " bereave their Soul 
of good, even of that good," the which if they had, it would 
be a good to them for ever. Eccles. iv. 8. But I ask not 
concerning this; it is not what provision thou hast made 
for this life, but what for the life and the world to come. 
" Lord, gather not my soul with sinners," said David, (Ps. 
xxvi. 9) ; " not with men of this world; Lord, not with them 
that have their portion in this life, whose belly thou fillest 
with thy hid treasures." Ps. xvii. 14. Thus you see how 
Solomon laments some, and how his father prays to be de- 
livered from their lot who have their portion in this life, and 
that have not made provision for their soul. Well, then, let 
me inquire of thee about this matter. "What provision hast 
thou made for thy soul ? And, 

1. What hast thou thought of thy soul? What ponderous 
thoughts hast thou had of the greatness and of the immor- 
tality of thy soul? This must be the first inquiry; for he 
that hath not had his thoughts truly exercised, ponderously 
exercised, about the greatness and the immortality of his 
soul, will not be careful after an effectual manner, to make 
provision for his soul for the life and world to come. The 
Soul is a man's all, whether he knows it or no, as I have 
already showed you. Xow a man will be concerned about 
what he thinks is his all. We read of the poor servant that 



CARE FOR ITS SALVATION. 129 

" sets his heart upon his wages" (Deut. xxiv. 14, 15) ; but 
it is because it is his all, his treasure, and that wherein his 
worldly worth lieth. Why, thy Soul is thy all; it is strange 
if thou dost not think so ; and more strange if thou dost 
think so, and yet hast light, seldom, and trivial thoughts 
about it. These two seem to be inconsistent. Therefore let 
thy conscience speak ; either thou hast very great and 
weighty thoughts about the excellent greatness of thy soul, 
or else thou dost not count that thy soul is so great a thing 
as it is, else thou dost not count it thy all. 

2. "What judgment hast thou made of the present state 
of thy soul? I speak now to the unconverted. Thy soul is 
under sin, under the curse, and an object of wrath. This is 
that sentence that by the word is passed upon it — "Woe to 
their souls, saith G-od; for they have rewarded evil to them- 
selves. " Isa. iii. 9. This is the sentence of Grod. Well, 
but what judgment hast thou passed upon it while thou 
livest in thy debaucheries ? Is it not that which thy fel- 
lows have passed on theirs before thee, saying, "I shall 
have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my heart, 
to add drunkenness to thirst." Deut. xxix. 19—21. If so, 
know thy judgment is gross, thy soul is miserable; and turn, 
or in little time thine eyes will behold all this. 

3. What care hast thou had of securing thy soul, and 
that it might be delivered from the danger that by sin it is 
brought into ? If a man have a horse, a cow, or a swine 
that is sick, or in danger by reason of this or that casualty, 
he will take care for his beast, that it may not perish ; he 
will pull it out of the ditch on the Sabbath day. But, oh ! 
that is the day on which many men do put their Soul into 
the ditch of sin ; that is the day that they set apart to pursue 
wickedness in. But I say, what care hast thou taken to 
get thy soul out of this ditch ? — a ditch out of which thou 
canst never get it without the aid of an omnipotent arm. 
In things pertaining to this life, when a man feels his own 



130 THE GREATNESS OE THE SOUL. 

strength fail, lie will implore the help and aid of another; 
and no man can by any means deliver by his own arm his 
soul from the power of hell (which thou also wilt confess, 
if thou art not a very brute) ; but what hast thou done 
with G-od for help ? Hast thou cried ? hast thou cried out ? 
yea, dost thou still cry out, and that day and night before 
him — " Deliver my soul, save my soul, preserve my soul, 
heal my soul ; for I pour out my soul unto thee V Ps. xvii. 
13 ; xxv. 20 ; xli. 4. Yea, canst thou say, My soul, my 
soul waiteth upon God, my soul thirsteth for him, my soul 
followeth hard after him? Ps. lxii. 5; lxiii. 1-8. I say, 
dost thou this ? Or dost thou hunt thine own soul to destroy 
it ? The Soul with some is the game, their lusts are the dogs, 
and they themselves are the huntsmen, and never do they 
more halloo, and lure, and laugh, and sing, than when they 
have delivered up their soul, their darling, to these dogs ; a 
thing that David trembled to think of, when he cried, "Dogs 
have compassed me about ; save my darling, my soul, from 
the power of the dog." Ps. xxii. 16, 20. Thus, I say, he 
cried, and yet these dogs were but wicked men. But, oh ! 
how much is a sin, a lust, worse than a man to do us hurt; 
yea, worse than is a dog, or a lion, to hurt a lamb ! 

4. What are the signs and tokens that thou bearest about 
thee concerning how it will go with thy soul at last ? There 
are signs and tokens of a good end, and signs and tokens of 
a bad end, that the souls of sinners will have. Phil. i. 27, 
28 j Heb. vi. 9 ; Job xxi. 29, 30 ; Isa. iii. 9. There are 
signs of the salvation of the soul, evident tokens of salva- 
tion ; and there are signs of the damnation of the soul, evi- 
dent signs of damnation. Now which of these has thou ? I 
cannot stand here to show thee which are which; but thy 
soul and its salvation lieth before thee, and thou hast the 
book of signs about these matters by thee ; thou hast also 
men of God to go to, and their assemblies to frequent. 
Look to thyself; heaven and hell are hard by, and one of 



SIGNS OF SALVATION OH PERDITION. 131 

theni will swallow thee up ; heaven, into unspeakable and 
endless glory; or hell, into unspeakable and endless tor- 
ment. Yet, 

5. What are the pleasures and delights of thy soul now ? 
Are they things divine, or things natural? Are they things 
heavenly, or things earthly ? Are they things holy, or 
things unholy ? For look, what things thou delightest in 
now, to those things the great God doth count thee a ser- 
vant, and for and of those thou shalt receive thy wages at 
the day of judgment — "His servants you are whom you 
obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto 
righteousness." Rom. vi. 16. 

Wicked men talk of heaven, and say they hope and desire 
to go to heaven, even while they continue wicked men; 
but I say, what would they do there ? If all that desire 
to go to heaven should come thither, verily they would 
make a hell of heaven. For I say, what would they do 
there ? why, just as they do here ; scatter their filthiness 
quite over the face of heaven, and make it as vile as the pit 
that the devils dwell in. Take holiness away out of heaven, 
and what is heaven ? I had rather be in hell were there 
none but holy ones there, than be in heaven itself with the 
children of iniquity. If heaven should be filled with wicked 
men, God would quickly drive them out, or forsake the 
place for their sakes. — It is true, they have been sinners, 
and none but sinners, that go to heaven ; but they are 
washed, — " Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but 
ye are justified, but ye are sanctified in the name of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Cor. 
ix. 10, 11. When the maidens were gathered together for 
the great king Ahasuerus, before they were brought to him 
into his royal presence, they were to be had to the house of 
the women, there to be purified with things for purification, 
and that for twelve months together — namely, six months 
with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and 



132 THE GREATNESS OP THE SOUL. 

other things (Esther ii. 3, 9, 12, 13) ; and so came every 
maiden to the king. G-od also hath appointed that those 
that come into his royal presence should first go to the house 
of the women, the church, and there receive of the eunuchs 
things for purification, things to " make us meet to be par- 
takers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Col. i. 12. 
None can go from a state of nature to glory but by a state 
of grace j the Lord gives grace and glory ; hence he that 
goeth to heaven is said to be wrought for it, fitted, prepared 
for it. 1 Cor. v. 5; Rom. ix. 23. 

Use 5. Again, fifthly, Is it so ? is the Soul such an ex- 
cellent thing, and is the loss thereof so unspeakably great? 
Then this doctrine commends those for the wise ones, that 
above all business concern themselves with the salvation of 
their souls; those that make all other matters but things 
by the bye, and the salvation of their souls the one thing 
needful. Yet but few comparatively will be concerned with 
this use ', for where is he that doeth this ? Solomon speaks 
of one man of a thousand. Eccles. vii. 28. However, some 
there be, and blessed be G-od for some ; but they are they 
that are wise, yea, wise in the wisdom of God. 

1. Because they reject what God hath rejected, and that 
is sin. 

2. Because they esteem but little, that which by the word 
is counted but of little esteem, and that is the world. 

3. Because they choose for a portion that which G-od 
commendeth unto us for that which is the most excellent 
thing — viz. himself, his Christ, his heaven, his word, his 
grace, and holiness. These are the great and most excellent 
things, and the things that they have chosen that are truly 
wise for their soul (and all other wise men are fools in G-od's 
account, and in the judgment of his word) ; and if it be so, 
glory and bliss must needs be their portion, though others 
shall miss thereof. "The wise shall inherit glory, but shame 
shall be the promotion of fools." Prov. iii. 35. 



TRUE WISDOM COMMENDED. 133 

Let me then encourage those that are of this mind to be 
strong, and hold on their way. Soul, thou hast pitched 
right. I will say of thy choice, as David said of Goliath' s 
sword, " There is none like that; give it me." "Hold fast 
that thou hast, that no man take thy crown." Rev. iii. 11. 
Oh ! I admire this wisdom ; this is by the direction of the 
Lawgiver; this is by the teaching of the blessed Spirit of 
G-od; not the wisdom which this world teacheth, nor the 
wisdom which the world doth choose, which comes to 
nought. 1 Cor. ii. 6. Surely thou hast seen something 
of the world to come, and the glory of it, through faith ; 
surely Grod has made thee see emptiness in that wherein 
others find a fulness, and vanity in that which by others is 
counted for a darling. Blessed are thine eyes, for they see, 
and thine ears, for they hear. 

But who told thee that thy soul was such an excellent 
thing, as by thy practice thou declarest thou believest it to 
be ? What ! set more by thy soul than by all the world ? 
"What ! cast a world behind thy back for the welfare of a 
soul ? Is not this to play the fool in the account of sinners, 
while angels wonder at and rejoice for thy wisdom? 

What a thing is this, that thy soul and its welfare should 
be more in thy esteem than all those glories wherewith the 
eyes of the world are dazzled ! Surely thou hast looked 
upon the sun, and that makes gold look like a clod of clay 
in thine eye-sight. 

But who put the thoughts of the excellences of the things 
that are eternal — I say, who put the thoughts of the excel- 
lency of those things into thy mind in this wanton age ? in 
an age wherein the thoughts of eternal life and the salva- 
tion of the soul, are with many like the Morocco ambassador 
and his men, of strange faces, in strange habits, with strange 
gestures and behaviors, monsters to behold. 

But where hadst thou that heart that gives entertainment 
to these thoughts, these heavenly thoughts ? These thoughts 



134 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

are like the French protestants, banished thence where they 
willingly would have harbor. How came they to thy house, 
to thy heart, and to find entertainment in thy soul ? The 
Lord keep them in every imagination of the thoughts of thy 
heart for ever, and incline thine heart to seek him more and 
more. 

And since the whole world have slighted and despised, 
and counted foolish the thoughts and cogitations wherewith 
thy soul is exercised, what strong and mighty support is 
it upon which thou bearest up thy spirit, and takest en- 
couragement in this thy forlorn, unoccupied, and singular 
way ? for so I dare say it is with the most. Certainly it is 
something above thyself, and that is more mighty to uphold 
thee than are the power, rage, and malice of all the world to 
cast thee down, or else thou couldst not bear up, now the 
stream and the force thereof are against thee. 

Object. 1. I know my soul is an excellent thing, and that 
the world to come and its glories, even in the smallest 
glimpse thereof, do swallow up all the world that is here ; 
my heart also doth greatly desire to be exercised about the 
thoughts of eternity, and I count myself never better than 
when my poor heart is filled with them ; as for the rage and 
fury of this world, it swayeth very little with me, for my 
heart is come to a point ; but yet, for all that, I meet with 
many discouragements, and such things that indeed do 
weaken my strength in the way. 

But, brave soul, pray tell me what the things are that dis- 
courage thee, and that weaken thy strength in the way? 

Why, the amazing greatness of this my enterprise, that 
is one thing. I am now pursuing things of the highest, the 
greatest, the most enriching nature, even eternal things; 
and the thoughts of the greatness of them drown me. For 
when the heat of my spirit in the pursuit after them is a 
little abated, methinks I hear myself talking thus to myself: 
Fond fool ! canst thou imagine that such a gnat, a flea, a 



WEAK BELIEVERS ENCOURAGED. 135 

pismire as thou art, can take and possess the heavens, and 
mantle thyself up in the eternal glories? If thou makest 
first a trial of the successfulness of thy endeavors upon 
things far lower, more base, "but much more easy to obtain, 
as crowns, kingdoms, earldoms, dukedoms, gold, silver, or 
the like, how vain are these attempts of thine; and yet 
thou thinkest to possess thy soul of heaven ! Away, away ! 
by the height thereof thou mayest well conclude it is far 
above out of thy reach; and by the breadth thereof it is too 
large for thee to grasp; and by the nature of the excellent 
glory thereof, too good for thee to possess. These are the 
thoughts that sometimes discourage me, and that weaken my 
strength in the way. 

Answ. — The greatness of thy undertakings does but show 
the nobleness of thy soul, in that it cannot, will not, be con- 
tent with such low things as the baseborn spirits that are of 
the world can and do content themselves with. And as to 
the greatness of the things thou aimest at, though they be, 
as they are indeed, things that have not their like, yet they 
are not too big for God to give, and he has promised to give 
them to the soul that seeketh him. Luke xii. 32. Yea, he 
hath prepared the kingdom, given the kingdom, and laid up 
in the kingdom of heaven the things that thy soul longeth 
for, presseth after, and cannot be content without. Matt. 
xxv. 34; Col. i. 4. As for thy making a trial of the suc- 
cessfulness of thy endeavors upon things inferior and more 
base, that is but a trick of the old deceiver. God has refused 
to give his children (a few only excepted), the great, the brave, 
and glorious things of this world, because he has prepared 
some better thing for them. 1 Cor. i. 26, 27; Heb. x. 39; 
xi. 36-40; 2 Cor. vi. 9, 10; 1 Pet. i. 8, 9. Wherefore 
faint not, but let thy hand be strong; for thy work shall be 
rewarded ; and since thy soul is at work for soul-things, for 
divine and eternal things, God will give them to thee. Thou 
art not of the number of them that draw back unto perdi- 



136 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

tion, "but of them that believe to the saving of the soul; 
thou shalt receive the end of thy faith, even the salvation of 
thy soul. Heb. x. 39 ; 1 Peter i. 9. 

Object. 2. But all my discouragements do not lie in this. 
I see so much of the sinful vileness of my nature, and feel 
how ready it is to thrust itself forth at all occasions, to the 
defiling of my whole man, and more. Now this added to 
the former, adds to my discouragement greatly. 

Answ. — This should be cause of humiliation and of self- 
abasement, but not of discouragement ; for the best of saints 
have their weaknesses, these their weaknesses. The ladies, 
as well as she that grinds at the mill, know what doth 
attend that sex ; and the giants in grace, as well as the 
weak, both cedars and shrubs, are sensible of the same 
things, which thou layest in against thy exercising of hope, 
or as matter of thy discouragement. In Psalm lxxvii. 2, 
poor David says, his soul refused to be comforted upon this 
very account. And Paul cries out under the sense of this, 
"0 wretched man that I am V and comes as it were to the 
borders of a doubt, saying, "Who shall deliver me V Only 
he was quick at remembering that Christ was his righteous- 
ness and redemption, and there he relieved himself. Rom. 
vii. 24, 25. 

Again; this should drive us to faith in Christ; for there- 
fore are corruptions by divine permission still left in us, not 
to drive us to unbelief, but to faith — that is, to look to the 
perfect righteousness of Christ for life. Rom. x. 4. 

And for further help, consider, that therefore Christ liveth 
in heaven, making intercession, that thou mightest be saved 
by his life, not by thine, and by his intercessions, not by 
thy perfections. Rom. v. 6-9; Col. i. 19, 20. Let not, 
therefore, thy weaknesses be thy discouragements; only let 
them put thee upon the duties required of thee by the gos- 
pel — namely, faith, hope, repentance, humility, watchful- 



THE MISERY OF LOST SOULS. 137 

ness, diligence, and the like. 1 Pet. i. 13; v. 5; 2 Cor. vii. 
11; Markxiii. 37; 2 Pet. i. 10. 

Object. 3. But I find, together with these things, weak- 
ness and faintness as to my graces; my faith, my hope, my 
love, and desires to these and all other Christian duties are 
weak; I am like the man in the dream, that would have 
run, but could not; that would have fought, but could not; 
and -that would have fled, but could not. 

Answ. 1. Weak graces are graces; weak graces may grow 
stronger; but if the iron be blunt, put to the more strength. 
Eccles. x. 10. 2. Christ seems to be most tender of the 
weak, "He shall gather his lambs with his arm, shall carry 
them in his bosom, and shall gently lead them that are with 
young." Isa. xl. 11. And again, "I will seek that which 
was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and 

1 will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen 
that which was sick." Ezek. xxxiv. 16. Only here will thy 
wisdom be manifested — namely, that thou grow in grace, 
and that thou use lawfully and diligently the means to do it. 

2 Pet, iii. 18; Phil. iii. 10, 11; 1 Thess. iii. 11-13. 

Use 6. I come, in the next place, to a use of terror, and 
so I shall conclude. Is it so? is the Soul such an excellent 
thing, and is the loss thereof so unspeakably great ? Then 
this showeih the sad state of those that lose their souls. 
We use to count those in a deplorable condition that by one 
only stroke are stript of their whole estate. " The fire 
swept away all that he had ;" or " all that he had was in 
such a ship, and that ship sunk into the bottom of the sea;" 
this is sad news, this is heavy tidings, this is bewailed of all, 
especially if such were great in the world, and were brought 
by their loss from a high to a low, to a very low condi- 
tion. But alas ! what is this to the loss about which we 
have been speaking all this while ? The loss of an estate 
may be repaired; or if not, a man may find friends in his 
present deplorable, condition, to his support, though not 

12* 



138 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

recovery ; but far will this be from him. that sball lose bis 
Soul. Ab ! be bas lost bis soul, and can never be relieved 
again, unless bell-fire can comfort bim ; unless be can 
solace bimself in the fiery indignation of Glod. Terrors will 
be upon bim, anguish and sorrow will swallow bim up, 
because of present misery. Slighted and set at nought by 
Grod and his angels, he will also be, in this bis miserable 
state ; and this will add sorrow to sorrow, and to his vexation 
of spirit, howling. 

To present you with emblems of tormented spirits, or to 
draw before your eyes the picture of hell, are things too 
light f 3r so ponderous a subj ect as this ; nor can any man 
frame or invent words, be they never so deep and profound, 
sufficient to the life to set out the torments of hell. All 
those expressions of fire, brimstone, the lake of fire, a fiery 
furnace the bottomless pit, and a hundred more to boot, are 
all too short to set forth the miseries of those that shall be 
damned souls. " Who knows the power of Grod's anger ?" 
Psalm xc. 11. None at all; and unless the power of that 
can be known, it must abide as unspeakable as the love of 
Christ, which passeth knowledge. 

We hear it thunder ; we see it lighten ; eclipses, comets, 
and blazing stars are all subject to smite us with terror; 
the thought of a ghost, of the appearing of a dead wife, a 
dead husband, or the like, how terrible are these things! 
But alas, what are these ? Mere fleabitings, nay, not so bad, 
when compared with the torments of hell. Gruilt and 
despair, what are they ? who understands them unto perfec- 
tion? The ireful look of an infinite Majesty, what mortal 
in the land of the living can tell us to the full, how dismal 
and breaking to the soul of a man it is, when it comes as 
from the power of anger, and arises from the utmost indig- 
nation ? Besides, who knows of all the ways by which the 
Almighty will inflict his just revenges upon the souls of 
damned sinners ? When Paul was caught up to the third 



SCRIPTURE GLIMPSES OF HELL. 139 

heaven, he heard words that were unspeakable; and he that 
goes down to hell shall hear groans that are unutterable. 
Hear, did I say ? They shall feel them ; they shall feel them 
burst from their wounded spirits, as thunderclaps do from 
the clouds. Once I dreamed that I saw two (whom I knew) 
in hell, and methought I saw a continual dropping from 
heaven, as of great drops of fire lighting upon them to their 
sore distress. Oh! words are wanting, thoughts are want- 
ing; imagination and fancy are poor things here; hell is 
another kind of place and state than any alive can think. 

And since I am upon this subject, I will here treat a little 
of Hell as the scriptures will give me leave, and the rather 
because I am upon a use of terror, and because hell is the 
place of torment. Luke xvi. 

1. Hell is said to be beneath, as heaven is said to be 
above; because as above, signifieth the utmost joy, triumph, 
and felicity (Prov. xv, 24) ; so beneath, is a term most fit to 
describe the place of hell, because of the utmost opposition 
that is between these two ; hell being the place of the ut- 
most sorrow, despair, and misery. There are the underlings 
ever trampled under the feet of God; they are beneath, 
below, under. 

2. Hell is said to be darkness, and heaven is said to be 
light (Matt. xxii. 12) ; — light, to show the pleasurableness 
and the desirableness of heaven ; and darkness, to show the 
dolesomeness and wearisomeness of hell. And how weary, 
oh ! how weary and wearisomely, as I may say, will damned 
souls turn themselves from side to side, from place to place, 
in hell ; while swallowed up in the thickest darkness, and 
griped with the burning thoughts of the endlessness of that 
most unutterable misery ! 

3. Men are said to go up to heaven, but they are said to 
go down to hell (Ezek. xxxii. 17-19); — up, because of 
exaltation, and because they must abound in beauty and ' 
glory that go to heaven; down, because of those sad dejec- 



140 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

tions, that great deformity and vile contempt that sin hath 
brought them to that go to hell. 

4. Heaven is called a hill or mount ; hell is called a pit, 
or hole (Heb. xii. ; Rev. ix. 2 ; xiv.) } — heaven, a mount, 
the mount Zion, to show how G-od has exalted and will exalt 
them that loved him in the world ) hell, a pit or hole, to 
show how all the ungodly shall be buried in the yawning 
paunch and belly of hell, as in a hollow cave. 

5. Heaven ! it is said of heaven, the height of heaven — 
and of hell, the bottomless pit (Job xxii. 12 ) Rev. ix. 2 ; 
xx. 3) — the height of heaven, to show that the exaltation of 
them that do ascend up thither is both perfect and unsearch- 
able ; and hell, the bottomless pit, to show that the downfall 
of them that descend thither will never be at an end — down, 
down, down they go, and nothing but down, down still ! 

6. Heaven ! it is called the paradise of G-od ; but hell, 
the burning lake (Rev. ii. 7; xxii. 15) — a paradise, to show 
how quiet, harmless, sweet, and beautiful heaven shall be to 
them that possess it, as the garden was at the beginning of 
the creation ; hell, the burning lake, in allusion to Sodom, 
which since its destruction has turned into a stinking lake ; 
to show that as their distress was unutterable, and to the 
highest amazement, full of confusion and horror, when that 
tempestuous storm of fire and brimstone was rained from the 
Lord out of heaven upon them, so to the utmost degree shall 
it be with the souls that are lost and cast into hell. 

7. It is said that there are dwelling-houses or places in 
the kingdom of heaven, and also that there are the cells or 
the chambers of death in hell. John xiv. 1-3 ; Zech. iii. 7; 
Isa. lvii. 1, 2; Prov. vii. 27; Ps. lxviii. 13. There are 
mansions or dwelling-places in heaven, to show that every 
one of them that go thither might have his reward, according 
to his work ; and there is hell, and the lowest hell, and the 
chambers of death in hell, to show that there are places and 
states in hell too, for sinners to be imprisoned in according 



DEGREES OE TORMENT IN HELL. 141 

to their faults ; hence it is said of some. These shall receive 
greater damnation; and of others, That it shall be more 
tolerable for Sodom and Gromorrah in the judgment than for 
them. Luke xx. 47; x. 12, 14. 

We read of the lowest hell. Deut. xxxii. 22. How many 
hells there are above that, or more tolerable tormenting 
places than the most exquisite torments there, Grod and they 
that are there, know best ; but degrees, without doubt there 
are; and the term "lowest" shows the utmost and most 
exquisite distress. So the chambers of death, the second 
death in hell (for so I think the words should be under- 
stood — " Her house is the way to hell, going down to the 
chambers of death/' Prov. vii. 27), these are the chambers 
that are opposed to the chambers in the temple, or to the 
dwelling-places in the house in heaven ; and this opposition 
shows, that as there will be degrees of glory in heaven, so 
there will be of torments in hell. And there is all reason for it, 
since the punishment must be inflicted by G-od, the infinitely 
just. Why should a poor, silly, ignorant man, though 
damned, be punished with the same degree of torment as 
he that has lived a thousand times worse ? It cannot be ; 
justice will not admit it; guilt, and the quality of the 
transgression will not admit it ; yea, the tormenting fire of 
hell itself will not admit it ; for if hell-fire can kindle upon 
nothing but sin, and the sinner for the sake of it, and if sin 
be as oil to that fire, as the Holy Grhost seems to intimate, 
saying, " Let it come into his bowels like water, and like 
oil into his bones" (Psalm cix. 17, 18), then as the quan- 
tity of the oil is, so will the fire burn, and so will the flaming 
flame ascend, and the smoke of their torment, for ever and 
ever. Suppose a piece of timber a little bedaubed with oil, 
and another that hath been soaking in it many a year, which 
of these two, think you, would burn fiercest ? and whence 
would the flaming flame ascend highest and make the most 
Suppose two vessels filled with oil, one 



142 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

containing the quantity of a pint, the other containing the 
quantity of a hogshead, and suppose that in one place they 
were both set on fire, yet so that they might not intermix 
flames; nay, though they did, yet all would conclude that 
the most amazing roaring flame would be upon the biggest 
vessel, and would be the effect of the greatest quantity of 
oil. So it will be with the wicked in hell. The lowest hell 
is for the biggest sinners, and theirs will be the greater 
damnation, and the more intolerable torment, though he that 
has least of this oil of sin in his bones, and of the kindlings 
of hell-fire upon him, will find he has hell enough, and will 
be weary enough thereof, for still he must struggle with 
flames that are everlasting. For sin is such a thing, that it 
can never be burned out of the soul and body of a damned 
sinner. 

But again ; having treated thus of Hell, we will now speak 
a word or two of Sin, for that is it upon which hell-fire 
seizes, and so on the soul by that. Sin ! it is the sting of hell. 
"The sting of death is sin." By "death" in this place we 
must not understand merely that which is natural, but that 
which is in hell, the second death, even everlasting damna- 
tion; for natural death the saints die, yea, and also many 
sinners, without the least touch of a sting from that j but 
here is a death that has a sting to hurt, to twinge, and 
wound the sinner with, even then when it has the utmost 
mastery of him. And this is the death that the saved are 
delivered from ; not that which is natural, for that is the end 
of them as of others; (Eccles. ii. 15, 16; 1 Cor. xv. 55); 
but the second death, the death in hell, for that is the por- 
tion of the damned, and it is from that that the saints have 
a promise of deliverance — " He that overcometh shall not 
be hurt of the second death." Rev. ii. 11. And again, 
" Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrec- 
tion; on such the second death hath no power." Rev. xx. 6. 
It is this death, then, that hath the chambers to hold each 



SIN THE STING OE HELL. 143 

damned soul in; and sin is the twining, winding, biting, 
poisoning sting of this death, in these chambers of hell, for 
sinners to be stricken, stung, and pierced with. " The sting 
of death is sin." 

Sin in the general is the sting of hell, for there would be 
no such thing as torment even there, were it not that sin is 
there with sinners. For as I have hinted already, the fire of 
hell, the indignation and wrath of Grod, can fasten and kin- 
dle upon nothing but because of sin. Sin then, as sin, is 
the sting and the hell of hells, of the lowest and utmost 
hells ; sin, I say, in the nature of it, simply as it is con- 
cluded both by G-od and the damned to be a breach of his 
holy law, so it is the sting of the second death, which is the 
worm of hell. But then, as sin is such a sting in itself, so 
it is heightened, sharpened, and made more keen and quick, 
by those circumstances that as concomitants attend it in 
every act. For there is not a sin at any time committed by 
man, but there is some circumstance or other attends it that 
makes it, when charged home by God's law, bigger and 
sharper, more full of venom, and poisonous to the soul, than 
if it could be committed without it ; and this is the sting of 
the hornet, the great sting. " I sinned without a cause, to 
please a base lust, to gratify the devil;" here is the sting. 
Again; "I preferred sin before holiness, death before life, 
hell before heaven, the devil before Grod, and damnation be- 
fore a Saviour;" here is the sting. Again; "I preferred 
moments before everlastings, temporals before eternals, to 
be racked and always slaying, before the life that is blessed 
and endless;" here is the sting. Also, "this I did against 
light, against convictions, against conscience, against per- 
suasion of friends, and ministers, and the godly lives which 
I beheld in others;" here is the sting. Also, "this I did 
against warnings, fore warnings, yea, though I saw others 
fall before my face by the mighty hand of Grod for commit- 
ting of the same;" here is the sting. 



144 THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. 

Sinners, would I could persuade you to hear me out. A 
man cannot commit a sin but by the commission of it he 
doth by some circumstance or other sharpen the sting of 
hell, and that to pierce himself through, and through, and 
through, with many sorrows. 1 Tim. yi. 10. Also, the sting 
of hell to some will be, that the damnation of others stands 
upon their score; for that by imitating them, by being 
deluded by them, persuaded by them, drawn in by them, 
they perish in hell for ever. And hence it is that these prin- 
cipal sinners must die all these deaths in themselves, that 
those damned ones that they have drawn into hell, are also 
to bear in their own souls for ever. And this G-od threatened 
to the prince of Tyrus, that capital sinner, because by his 
pride, power, practice, and policy, he cast down others into 
the pit; therefore saith Glod to him, "They shall bring thee 
down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that 
are slain in the midst of the seas." And again; "Thou 
shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of 
strangers; for I have spoken it, saith the Lord." Ah! this 
will be the sting of them, of those that are principal, chief, 
and, as I may call them, the captain and ringleading sin- 
ners. Vipers will come out of other men's fire and flames, 
and settle upon, seize upon, and for ever abide upon their 
consciences; and this will be the sting of hell, the great sting 
of hell to them. 

I will yet add to this; how will the fairness of some for 
heaven, even the thoughts of that, sting them when they 
come to hell ! It will not be so much their fall into the 
pit, as from whence they fell into it, that will be to them 
the buzzing noise and sharpened sting of the great -and ter- 
rible hornet. "How art thou fallen from heaven, Luci- 
fer I" there is the sting. Isa. xiv. 12. "Thou that art ex- 
alted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell." Matt. xi. 
23. "Though thou hast made thy nest among the stars, from 
thence will I fetch thee down;" there is the sting. Obad. iv. 



THE LAST AGGRAVATION TO LOST SOULS. 145 

To be pulled ; through love to some vain lust, from the ever^ 
lasting gates of glory, and caused to be swallowed up for it 
in the belly of hell, and made to lodge for ever in the dark- 
some chambers of death; there is the piercing sting. 

But again; as there is the sting of hell, so there is the 
strength of that sting; for a sting, though never so sharp 
or full of venom, yet if it wanteth strength to force it to the 
designed execution, it doth but little hurt. But this sting 
has strength to cause it to pierce into the soul; the sting of 
death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 1 Cor. xv. 
56. Here then is the strength of the sting of hell; it is 
the law in the perfect penalty of it; for without the law, sin 
is dead. Rom. vii. 8. Yea, again he saith, where no law 
is, there is no transgression. Rom. iv. 15. The law then 
followeth (in the executive part of it) the soul into hell, and 
there strengtheneth sin, that sting in hell, by its unuttera- 
ble charging of it on the conscience, to pierce the soul for 
ever and ever. Nor can the soul justly murmur or repine 
at God, or at his law. For then the sharply apprehensive soul 
will well discern the justness, righteousness, reasonableness, 
and goodness of the law, and that nothing is done unto it by 
the law, but that which is just and equal. This therefore 
will put great strength and force into sin to sting the soul, 
and to strike it with the lashes of a scorpion. 

And yet add to these, the abiding life of God. The Judge 
and God of this law, will never die. "When princes die, the 
law may be altered, by the which at present transgressors 
are bound in chains ; but, oh ! here is also that which will 
make this sting most sharp and keen — the God that executes 
it will never die. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands 
of the living God." Heb. x. 30, 31. 



13 



SIGHS FROM HELL 



THE GROANS OF A LOST SOUL. 

DISCOVERING FROM LUKE XVI. 

THE LAMENTABLE STATE OF THE DAMNED; 



BOTH OLD AND YOUNG, BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, 
TO AVOID THE SAME PLACE OF TORMENT. 



A DISCOVERY OF THE USEFULNESS OF THE SCRIPTURES 

AS OUR SAFE-CONDUCT FOR AVOIDING 

THE TORMENTS OF HELL. 



(147) 



THE AUTHOR TO THE READER 



Friend, because it is a dangerous thing to Ibe walking 
towards the place of darkness and anguish; and again, 
because it is, notwithstanding, the journey that most of 
the poor souls in the world are taking, and that with de- 
light and gladness, as if there was the only happiness to 
be found ; I have therefore thought it my duty (being made 
sensible of the danger that will befall those that fall therein), 
for the preventing of thee, thou poor man or woman, to 
tell thee, by opening this parable, what sad success those 
souls have had, and are likely to have, that have been, or 
shall be found, persevering therein. 

We use to count him a friend that will forewarn his 
neighbor of the danger when he knoweth thereof, and doth 
also see that the way his neighbor is walking in doth lead 
right thereto, especially when we think that our neighbor 
may be either ignorant, or careless of his way. Why, friend, 
it may be, nay twenty to one, but thou hast been, ever since 
thou didst come into the world, with thy back towards hea- 
ven, and thy face towards hell; and thou, either through 
ignorance, or carelessness (which is as bad, if not worse), 
hast been running full hastily that way ever since. Why, 
I beseech thee, put a little stop to thy earnest race, and take 
a view of what entertainment thou art likely to have, if thou 
do in deed and in truth persist in this thy course. Thy 
way leads down to death, and thy steps take hold on hell. 
Prov. v. 5. It may be the path indeed is pleasant to the 
flesh, but the end thereof will be bitter to thy soul. Hark ! 

13* (149) 



160 THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. 

dost thou not hear the bitter cries of them that are but 
newly gone before, saying, Let him dip the tip of his finger 
in water, and cool my tongue, that is so tormented in this 
flame ? Luke xyi. Dost thou not hear them say, Send out from 
the dead, to prevent my father, my brother, and my father's 
house, from coming into this place of torment ? Shall not 
then these mournful groans pierce thy flinty heart? Wilt 
thou stop thine ears, and shut thy eyes ? And wilt thou 
not regard ? Take warning, and stop thy journey before it 
be too late. Wilt thou be like the silly fly, that is not quiet 
unless he be either entangled in the spider's web, or burned 
in the candle ? Wilt thou be like the bird that hasteth to 
the snare of the fowler ? Wilt thou be like that simple one 
named in the seventh of Proverbs, that will be drawn to the 
slaughter by the cord of a silly lust? sinner, sinner, 
there are better things than hell to be had, and at a cheaper 
rate, by the thousandth part ! 0, there is no comparison ! 
There is heaven, there is Glod, there is Christ, there is com- 
munion with an innumerable company of saints and angels. 
Hear the message then that G-od doth send, that Christ doth 
send, that saints do bring, nay, that the dead do send unto 
thee : "2 pray thee therefore, that thou wouldst send him 
to my father's house, — if one went to them from the dead 
they would repent." "How long, ye simple ones, will ye 
love simplicity ? and ye scorners delight in scorning ? and 
ye fools hate knowledge ? Turn ye at my reproof; and be- 
hold," saith G-od, "I will pour out my Spirit upon you; I 
will make known my words unto you." I say, hear this 
voice, silly one ! And turn and live, thou sinful soul, lest 
he make thee hear that other saying, "But, because I have 
called, and you have refused ; I have stretched out my hand, 
and no man regarded; I also will laugh at your calamity, 
and mock when your fear cometh." 

poor soul, if God and Christ did wish thee for thine 
harm, it would be another matter. Then if thou diclst refuse, 



THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. 151 

thou mightest have some excuse to make, or fault to find, 
and ground to make delays. But this is for thy profit, for 
thy advantage, for the pardoning of thy sins, the salvation 
of thy soul — the delivering thee from hell-fire, from the 
wrath to come, from everlasting burnings, into favor with 
God, and Christ, and communion with all happiness, that is 
such indeed. 

But it may be, thou wilt say, all that hath been spoken 
of in this discourse is but a parable; and parables are no 
realities. 

I could put thee off with this answer, that though it be a 
parable, yet it is a truth, and not a lie ; and thou shalt find 
it so too, to thy cost, if thou shalt be found a slighter of 
Grod, Christ, and the salvation of thy own soul. 

But, secondly, know for certain, that the things signified 
by parables are wonderful realities. what a glorious re- 
ality was there signified by that parable, " The kingdom of 
heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea," &c, 
signifying, that sinners of all sorts, of all nations should be 
brought into Grod's kingdom by the net of the gospel. And, 
oh ! how real a thing shall the other part thereof be, when 
it is fulfilled, which saith, " And when it was full, they 
drew it to the shore, and put the good into vessels, but 
threw the bad away" (Matt. xiii. 47, 48); signifying the 
mansions of glory that the saints should have, and also the 
rejection that Grod will give to the ungodly, and to sinners. 
And also that parable — what a glorious reality is there in 
it ! — which saith, " Except a corn of wheat fall into the 
ground and die, it abideth alone : but if it die, it bringeth 
forth much fruit" (John xii. 24) ; — to signify, that unless 
Jesus Christ did indeed spill his blood, and die the cursed 
death, he should abide alone; that is, have never a soul 
into glory with him; but if he died, he should bring forth 
much fruit; that is, save many sinners. And also how real 
a truth there was in that parable, concerning the Jews put- 



152 THE AUTHOR TO THE READER 

ting Christ to death — which the poor dispersed Jews can best 
experience to their cost ! for they have been almost ever 
since a banished people, and such as have had God's sore 
displeasure wonderfully manifested against them, according 
to the truth of the parable. Matt. xxi. 33-41. therefore, 
for Jesus Christ's sake, do not slight the truth, because it is 
discovered in a parable ! For by this argument thou mayest 
also, nay, thou wilt also slight almost all the things that our 
Lord Jesus Christ did speak; for he spake them for the 
most part (if not all) in parables. Why should it be said 
of thee, as it is said of some, that these things are spoken 
to them that are without, in parables, "that seeing they 
might not see, and that hearing they might not under- 
stand?" Luke viii. 10. I say, take heed of being a quarreller 
against Christ's parables, lest Christ also object against the 
salvation of thy soul at the judgment-day. 

Friend, I have no more to say to thee now. If thou dost 
love me, pray for me, that my God would not forsake me, 
nor take his Holy Spirit from me; and that God would fit 
me to do his will, and suffer what shall be, from the world 
or the devil, inflicted upon me. I must tell thee, the world 
rages, they stamp and shake their heads, and fain they would 
be doing. The Lord help me to take all they shall do with 
patience; and when they smite the one cheek, to turn the 
other to them, that I may do as Christ hath bidden me; for 
then the Spirit of God, and of glory, shall rest upon me. 
Farewell. 

I am thine, to serve in the Lord Jesus, 

JOHN BUNYAN. 



SIGHS FROM HELL 



THE GROANS OF A LOST SOUL. 



CHAPTER I. 



There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and 

FARED SUMPTUOUSLY EVERY DAY. — Luke Xvi. 19-31. 



This scripture was not spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ, 
to show you the state of two single persons only, (as some 
through ignorance of the drift of Christ in his parables do 
dream) ; but to show you the state of the godly and un- 
godly to the world's end; as is clear to him that is of an 
understanding heart. For he spake them to the end that 
after generations should take notice thereof, and fear, lest 
they also fall into the same condition. 

Now, in my discourse upon these words, I shall not be 
tedious ; but as briefly as I may, I shall pass through the 
several verses, and lay you down some of the several truths 
contained therein : and the Lord grant that they may be 
profitable, and of great advantage to those that read them or 
hear them read. 

The first two or three verses of the parable I shall not 
spend much time upon, only give you three or four short 

(153) 



154 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

hints, and so pass to the next verses ; for they are the words 
I do intend most especially to insist upon. 

The verses run thus: " There was a certain rich man, 
which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sump- 
tuously every day : And there was a certain beggar named 
Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores," &c. 

If these verses had been spoken by Jesus Christ, and no 
more, all the world would have been apt to have cast a 
wrong interpretation upon them. I say, if Jesus had said 
only this much, There was a certain rich man, which fared 
sumptuously daily, and a certain beggar laid at his gates full 
of sores, the world would have made this conclusion of them : 
The rich man was the happy man. For, at first view, it doth 
represent such a thing. But take all together — that is, read 
the whole parable, and you shall find, that there is no man 
in a worse condition than he; as I shall clearly hold forth 
afterward. 

Again, if a man would judge of men according to outward 
appearance, he shall ofttimes take his ,mark amiss. Here is 
a man who to outward appearance, appears the only blessed 
man, better by half than the beggar, inasmuch as he is rich, 
the beggar poor; he is well clothed, but peradventure the 
beggar is naked; he hath good food, but the beggar would 
be glad of dog's meat: "And he desired to be fed with the 
crumbs which fell from the rich man's table." The rich 
man fares well every day; but the beggar must be glad of 
a bit when he can get it. ! who would not be in a rich 
man's estate ? A wealthy man ; sorts of new suits, and 
dainty dishes every day; enough to make one who minds 
nothing but his belly, and his back, and his lusts, to say, O 
that I were in that man's condition ! that I had things 
about me, as that man has! Then I should live a life 
indeed; then should I have heart' s-ease, good store; then I 
should live pleasantly, and might say to my soul, Soul, be 
of good cheer; eat, drink, and be merry (Luke xii. 19); 



FALSE JUDGMENT ABOUT RICHES. 155 

thou hast every thing plenty, and art in a most blessed con- 
dition. 

I say, this might he the conclusion with them that judge 
according to outward appearance. But if the whole parable 
be well considered, you will see that which is had in high 
estimation with men, is an abomination in the sight of Grod. 
Luke xvi. 15. And again, that condition that is the saddest 
condition according to outward appearance, is ofttimes the 
most excellent. Job xvi. 20-22. For the beggar had ten 
thousand degrees the best of it, though to outward appear- 
ance his state was the saddest. From whence we shall ob- 
serve thus much : 

1. That those who judge according to outward appearance, 
do for the most part judge amiss. John vii. 24. 

2. That they who look upon their outward enjoyments to 
be tokens of Grod's special grace unto them, are also deceived. 
Eev. iii. 17. For as it is here in the parable, a man of 
wealth, and a child of the devil, may make but one person; 
or, a man may have abundance of outward enjoyments, and 
yet be carried by the devils into eternal burning. Luke xvi. 
23. But this is the trap in which the devil hath caught 
many thousands of poor souls, namely, by getting them to 
judge according to outward appearance, or according to Grod's 
outward blessings. 

Do but ask a poor, carnal, covetous wretch, how he should 
know a man to be in a happy state ; and he will answer, 
Those that Grod blesseth, and giveth abundance of this world 
to; when, for the most part, they are they that are the 
cursed men. Alas, poor men ! they are so ignorant as to 
think, that because a man is increased in outward things, 
and that by a small stock, therefore Grod doth love that man 
with a special love, or else he would never do so much for 
him, never bless him so, and prosper the works of his hands. 
Ah, poor soul ! it is the rich man that goes to hell. And 



156 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

" the rich man died, — and in hell," mark, " in hell, he lift 
up his eyes, being in torment." 

Methinks to see how the great ones of the world will go 
strutting up and down the streets sometimes, it makes me 
wonder. Surely they look upon themselves to be the only 
happy men ; but it is because they judge according to out- 
ward appearance ; they look upon themselves to be the only 
blessed men, when the Lord knows the generality of such are 
left out of that blessed condition. " Not many wise men after 
the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called." 
1 Cor. i. 26. Ah ! did they that do now so brag, that 
nobody dare scarce look on them, but believe this, it would 
make them hang down their heads and cry, give me a 
Lazarus' portion ! 

I might here enlarge very much, but I shall not; only 
this much I shall say to you that have much of this world : 
Have a care that you have not your portion in this world : 
take heed that it be not said to you hereafter, when you 
would very willingly have heaven, Hemember in your life- 
time you had your good things; in your lifetime you had 
your portion. Psalm xvii. 14. 

And, friend, thou that seekest after this world, and de- 
sirest riches, let me ask this question: Wouldst thou be 
content that Grod should put thee off with a portion in this 
life ? Wouldst thou be glad to be kept out of heaven with 
a back well clothed, and a belly well filled with the dainties 
of this world ? "Wouldst thou be glad to have all thy good 
things in thy lifetime ; to have thy heaven to last no longer 
than while thou dost live in this world? Wouldst thou be 
willing to be deprived of eternal happiness and felicity ? If 
thou say, No, then have a care of the world and thy sins; 
have a care of desiring to be a rich man, lest thy table be 
made a snare unto thee (Psalm lxiv. 22) ; lest the wealth 
of this world do bar thee out of glory. For, as the apostle 
saith, "They that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a 



HOW THE RICH MAN REPRESENTS THE UNGODLY. 157 

snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown 
men in destruction and perdition." 1 Tim. vi. 9. Thus much 
in general : but now, particularly, 

These two men here spoken of (as I said) do hold forth 
to us the state of the godly and ungodly : the beggar hold- 
eth forth the godly, and the rich man the ungodly. 

But why, under the notion of a rich man, are the ungodly 
held forth? 

1. Because Christ would not have them look too high, as 
I said before ; but that those who have riches would have a 
care that they be not all their portion. James i. 10-12 ; 
1 Tim. iv. 17. 

2. Because rich men are most liable to the devil's tempta- 
tions; are most ready to be puffed up with pride, stoutness, 
and cares of this world ; in which things they spend most of 
their time — in lusts, drunkenness, wantonness, idleness, to- 
gether with other works of the flesh; " For which thing's 
sake, the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobe- 
dience." Col. iii. 6. 

3. Because he would comfort the hearts of his own, 
which are most commonly of the poorer sort : for God hath 
chosen the poor, despised, and base things of this world. 
1 Cor. i. 28. Should God have set the rich man in the 
blessed state, his own children would have concluded, being 
poor, that they had no share in the life to come. 

4. And again, had not God given such a discovery of the 
sad condition of those that are for the most part rich men, 
we should have had men conclude absolutely, that the rich 
are the blessed men. Nay, though the Lord himself doth 
so evidently declare, that the rich ones of the world are for 
the most part in the saddest condition, yet they, through 
unbelief, or else presumption, do harden themselves, and 
seek for the glory of this world, as though the Lord Jesus 
Christ did not mean as he said, or else that he will say more 
than shall assuredly come to pass; but let them know that 

14 



158 SIGHS PROM HELL. 

the Lord hath a time to fulfill what he had a time to declare, 
for the scripture cannot be broken. John x. 35. 

5. But observe, the Lord by his word doth not mean 
those are ungodly who are rich in the world, and no other; 
for then must all those that are poor, yet graceless and vain 
men, be saved, and delivered from eternal vengeance ; which 
would be contrary to the word of God, which saith, that 
together with the kings of the earth, and the great men, 
and the chief captains, and the mighty men, there are bond- 
men or servants, and slaves, that cry out at the appearance 
of the Almighty God, and his Son Jesus Christ to judg- 
ment. Rev. vi. 15. 

So that though Christ doth say, " There was a certain 
rich man " yet you must understand, he meaneth all the 
ungodly, rich or poor. Nay, if you will not understand it 
so now, you shall be made to understand it to be so meant 
at the day of Christ's second coming, when all that are un- 
godly shall stand at the left hand of Christ with pale faces, 
and guilty consciences, with the vials of the Almighty's 
wrath ready to be poured out upon them. Thus much in 
brief touching this verse. I might have observed other 
things from it, but now I forbear, having other things to 
speak of at this time. 



CHAPTER II. 

And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full 
of sores. — Verse 20. 

This verse doth chiefly hold forth these things: 1. That 
the saints of God are a poor contemptible people : " There 
was a certain beggar." If you understand the word, beg- 
gar, to hold forth outward poverty, or scarcity in outward 
things; such are saints of the Lord, for they are for the 



HOW LAZARUS REPRESENTS GOD'S PEOPLE. 159 

most part a poor, despised, contemptible people. But if 
you allegorize it, and interpret it thus : They are such as 
beg earnestly for heavenly food; this is also the spirit of 
the children of God; and it may be, and is a truth in this 
sense, though not so naturally gathered from this scripture. 
2. These words hold forth the distempers of believers, 
saying, "He was full of sores ;" which may signify the 
many troubles, temptations, persecutions, and afflictions in 
body and spirit which they meet with while they are in the 
world ; and also the entertainment they meet with at the 
hands of those ungodly ones who live upon the earth. 
Whereas it is said, " He was laid at his gate full of sores;" 
mark, he was laid at his gate, not in his house : that was 
thought too good for him ; but he was laid at his gate, full 
of sores. From whence observe, that the ungodly world do 
not desire to entertain and receive the poor saints of God 
into their houses. If they must needs be somewhere near 
unto them, yet they shall not come into their houses. 
Shut them out of doors : if they will needs be near us, let 
them be at the gate. " And he, was laid at the gate, full of 
sores. " Observe, also, that the world are not at all touched 
with the afflictions of God's children ; for all they are full 
of sores. A despised, afflicted, tempted, persecuted people 
the world doth not pity ; no, but rather labor to aggravate 
their trouble by shutting them out of doors. Sink or swim, 
what cares the world ? they are resolved to disown them ; 
they will give them no entertainment; if the lying in the 
streets will do them any good, if hard usage will do them 
any good, if it to be disowned, rejected, and shut out of 
doors by the world will do them any good, they shall have 
enough of that; but otherwise no refreshment, no comfort 
from the world. "And he was laid at his gate, full of 
sores." 



CHAPTER III. 

And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table : 

MOREOVER, THE DOGS CAME AND LICKED HIS SORES. — Verse 21. 

By all these words our Lord Jesus doth show us the 
frame of a Christian's heart, and also the heart and carriage 
of worldly men towards the saints of the Lord. The Chris- 
tian's heart is held forth by this, that any thing will content 
him while he is on this side glory. "And he desired to be 
fed with the crumbs;" the dogs' meat, any thing. I say, a 
Christian will be content with any thing; if he have but 
enough to keep life and soul together (as we use to say) 
he is content, he is satisfied. He hath learned (if he hath 
learned to be a Christian) to be content with any thing : as 
Paul saith, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am, there- 
with to be content." He learns in all. conditions to study 
to love God, to walk with God, to give up himself to God ; 
and if the crumbs that fall from the rich man's table will 
but satisfy nature, and give him bodily strength, that 
thereby he may be the more able to walk in the way of 
God, he is contented. "And he desired to be fed with the 
crumbs which fell from the rich man's table." But mark, 
he had them not; you do not find that he had so much as a 
crumb, or a scrap, allowed unto him. No; then the dogs 
will be beguiled; that must be preserved for the dogs. 

From whence observe, that the ungodly world do love 
their dogs better than the children of God. You will say, 
That is strange. It is so, indeed ; yet it is true, as will be 
clearly manifested. As for instance : how many pounds do 
some men spend on their dogs, when in the mean while the 
poor saints of God may starve for hunger ? They will build 
houses for their dogs, when the saints must be glad to wan- 
(160) 



DOGS PREFERRED TO SAINTS, BY SINNERS. 161 

der and lodge in dens and caves of the earth. Heb. xi. 38. 
And if they be in any of their houses, for the rent thereof 
they will warn them out or eject them, or pull down the 
house over their heads, rather than not rid themselves of 
such tenants. Again, some men cannot go half a mile from 
home but they must have dogs at their heels; but they can 
very willingly go half a score of miles without the society of 
a Christian. Nay, if when they are busy with their dogs, 
they should chance to meet a Christian, they would wil- 
lingly shift him if they could ; they will go on the other side 
the hedge or the way, rather than they will have any society 
with him. And if at any time a child of Grod should come 
into a house where there are but two or three ungodly 
wretches, they do commonly wish either themselves or the 
saint out of doors. And why so? Because they cannot 
down with the society of a Christian; though if there come 
in at the same time a dog, or a drunken, swearing wretch 
(which is worse than a dog), they will make him welcome ; 
he shall sit down with them, and partake of their dainties. 
And now tell me, you that love your sins and your plea- 
sures, had you not rather keep company with a drunkard, a 
swearer, a strumpet, a thief, nay, a dog, than with an hon- 
est-hearted Christian? If you say, No; what means your 
sour carriage to the people of God? Why do you look on 
them as if you would eat them up ? yet at the very same 
time, if you can but meet your dog, or a drunken companion, 
you can fawn upon them, take acquaintance with them, to 
the tavern or ale-house with them, if it be two or three 
times in a week; but if the saints of Grod meet together, 
pray together, and labor to edify one another, you will stay 
till doomsday before you will look into the house where they 
are. Ah ! friends, when all comes to all, you will be found 
to love drunkards, strumpets, dogs, any thing; nay, to serve 
the devil, rather than to have loving and friendly society 
with the saints of G-od. 



162 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

" Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores." Here 
again you may see, not only the afflicted state of saints of 
God in this world, but also, that even dogs themselves ac- 
cording to their kind, are more favorable to the saints than 
the sinful world. Though the ungodly will have no mercy 
on the saints, yet it is ordered so, that these creatures, dogs, 
lions, &c, will. Though the rich man would not entertain 
him in his house, yet his dogs will come, and do him the 
best good they can, even to lick his running sores. It was 
thus with Daniel, when the world was mad against him, and 
would have thrown him to the lions to be devoured, the 
lions shut their mouths at him (or rather the Lord did shut 
them up), so that there was not that hurt befell him, that 
was desired by the adversaries. Dan. vi. And this I am 
persuaded of, that would the creatures do as some men 
would have them, the saints of God should not walk so 
quietly up and down the streets, and other places, as they 
do. And as I said before, so I say again, I am persuaded, 
that at the day of judgment many men's conditions and car- 
riages will be so laid open, that it will evidently appear they 
have been very merciless, and mad against the children of 
God ; insomuch that when the providence of God did fall out 
so as to cross their expectation, they have been very much 
offended thereat; as is very evidently seen in them who set 
themselves to study how to bring the saints into bondage, 
and to thrust them into corners, as in these late years. 
Psalm xxxi. 13. And because God hath in his goodness 
ordered things otherwise, they have gnashed their teeth 
thereat. Hence then, let the saints learn not to commit them- 
selves to their enemies. "Beware of men." Matt. x. 17. 
They are very merciless men, and will not so much favor 
you (if they can help it), as you may suppose they may. 
Nay, unless the over-ruling hand of God, in goodness do 
order things contrary to their natural inclination, they will 
not favor you so much as a dog. 



CHAPTER IV. 

And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into 
Abraham's bosom : the rich man also died, and was burled. — Verse 22. 

The former verses briefly hold forth the carriage of the 
ungodly in this life, toward the saints. Now this verse doth 
hold forth the departure both of the godly and ungodly, out 
of this life. 

"Wherefore it is said, "And it came to pass that the beg- 
gar died, and was carried into Abraham's bosom; and the 
rich man died also." This beggar died; that represents the 
godly: and the rich man died; that represents the ungodly. 
From whence observe, Neither godly nor ungodly must live 
always without a change, either by death or judgment. The 
good man died, and the bad man died. That scripture doth 
also back this truth, that good and bad must die, marvellous 
well, where it is said, "And it is appointed unto men once 
to die, but after this the judgment." Heb. ix. 27. 

Mark, this doth not say it is so, that men by chance may 
die ; which might beget in the hearts of the ungodly espe- 
cially, some hope to escape the bitterness of it : but it saith, 
it is a thing most certain ; it is appointed. Mark, " It is 
appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judg- 
ment." God hath decreed it, that since men have fallen 
from that happy estate that Grod at the first did set them in, 
they shall die. Rom. vi. 23. Now, when it is said, the beg- 
gar died, and the rich man died, part of the meaning is, they 
ceased to be any more in this world ; I say, partly the mean- 
ing is, but not altogether. Though it be altogether the 
meaning, when some of the creatures die ; yet it is but in 
part the meaning, when it is said that men, women, or 
children die ; for there is to them something else to be said, 

(163) 



184 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

more than a barely going out of the world. For if when 
unregenerate men and women die, there were an end of 
them, not only in this world, but also in the world to come, 
they would be happy over what they will be now; for when 
ungodly men and women die, there is that to come after death 
that will be very terrible to them, namely, to be carried by 
the angels of darkness from their death-beds to hell ; there 
to be reserved to the judgment of the great day, when both 
body and soul shall meet and be united together again, and 
made capable of undergoing the uttermost vengeance of the 
Almighty to all eternity. This is that, I say, which doth 
follow a man that is not born again, after death; as is clear 
from 1 Pet. iii. 18, 19, where, before speaking of Christ 
being raised again by the power of the eternal Spirit, he 
saith, "By which," that is, by that Spirit, "he went and 
preached to the spirits in prison." But what is the mean- 
ing of this ? Why, thus much, That those souls who were 
once alive in the world, in the time or days in which Noah 
lived, being disobedient in their times to the calls of G-od, 
by his Spirit in Noah (for so I understand it), were, accord- 
ing to that which was foretold by that preacher, overcome 
by the flood, deprived of life, and are now in prison. 
Mark, he preached to the spirits in prison (he doth not say, 
who were in prison) ; under chains of darkness, reserved, or 
kept there in that prison, in which now they are; ready like 
villains in the jail, to be brought before the judgment-seat 
of Christ at the great day. But of this I shall speak further 
by and by. 

Now, if this one truth, that men must die and depart this 
world, and either enter into joy, or else into prison, to be 
reserved to the day of judgment, were believed, we should 
not have so many wantons walk up and down the streets as 
there do; at least it would put a mighty check to their filthy 
carriages, so that they would not, could not, walk so basely 
and sinfully as they do. Belshazzar, notwithstanding he was 



FAITH MUST PRODUCE FEAR. 165 

so far from the fear of God as he was, yet when he did but 
see God was offended, and threatened him for his wicked- 
ness, it made him hang down his head, and knock his knees 
together. Dan. v. 5, 6. If you read the verses before, you 
will find he was careless, and satisfying his lusts in drinking, 
and playing the wanton with his concubines; but so soon as 
he did perceive the finger of an hand-writing, " then," saith 
the scripture, "the king's countenance was changed, and 
his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins 
were loosed, and his knees smote one against another." And 
when Paul told Felix of righteousness, temperance, and 
judgment to come, it made him tremble. And let me tell 
thee, soul, whoever thou art, that if thou didst but verily 
believe that thou must die, and come to judgment, it would 
make thee turn over a new leaf. 

But this is the misery, the devil doth labor by all means, 

as to keep out other things that are good, so to keep out of 

the heart, as much as in him lies, the thoughts of passing 

from this life into another world; for he knows, if he can 

but keep them from the serious thoughts of death, he shall 

the more easily keep them in their sins, and so from closing 

with Jesus Christ. As Job saith, " Their houses are safe 

from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them." Which 

makes them say to God, "Depart from us, for we desire not 

the knowledge of thy ways." Job xxii. 14. Because there 

is no fear of death and judgment to come, therefore they do 

put off God and his ways, and spend their days in their sins, 

and in a moment, that is, before they are aware, go down to 

the grave. Verse 17. And thus it fared also with the man 

spoken of in Luke xii. 20. This man, instead of thinking 

on death, thought how he might make his barns bigger; but 

in the midst of his business in the world, he lost his soul 

before he was aware, supposing that death had been many 

years off. But God said unto him, Thou fool, thou troublest 

thyself about things of this life; thou puttest off the 



166 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

thoughts of departing this world, when this night thy soul 
shall be taken from thee; or, This night, they, that is, 
devils will fetch away thy soul from thee. And hence it 
comes to pass, by men's not being exercised with the thoughts 
of departing this life, that they are so unexpectedly to them- 
selves and their neighbors, taken away from the pleasures 
and profits, yea, and all the enjoyments they busy them- 
selves with while they live in this world. And hence it is 
again, that you have some in your towns and cities that are 
so suddenly taken away; some from haunting the alehouses, 
others from haunting the whorehouses, others from playing 
and gaming, others from cares and covetous desires after 
this world, unlooked for as by themselves, or their com- 
panions. Hence it is also, that men do so wonder at such 
tidings as these, that there is such a one dead, such a one 
departed; it is because they do so little consider both the 
transitoriness of themselves and their neighbors. For had 
they but their thoughts well exercised about the shortness 
of this life, and the danger that will befall such as do miss 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, it would make them more wary 
and sober, and spend more time in the service of G-od, and 
be more delighted and diligent in inquiring after the Lord 
Jesus Christ, who is the deliverer from the wrath to come. 
1 Thess. i. 10. For, as I said before, it is evident that they 
who live after the flesh in the lusts thereof do not really and 
seriously think on death, and the judgment that doth follow 
after; neither do they indeed endeavor so to do; for did they, 
it would make them say with holy Job, " All the days of 
my appointed time will I wait, till my change come." Job 
xiv. 14. 

And, as I said before, not only the wicked, but also the 
godly, have their time to depart this life ; "And the beggar 
died." The saints of -the Lord, they must be deprived of this 
life also; they must yield up the ghost into the hands of the 
Lord their God; they must also be separated from their 



DEATH OF THE GODLY AND UNGODLY. 167 

wives, children, husbands, friends, goods, and all that they 
have in the world. For God hath decreed it, "It is ap- 
pointed," namely, by the Lord, "for men once to die;" and 
we must "appear before the judgment-seat of Christ," as it 
is, 2 Cor. v. 10. But it may be objected, If the godly die 
as well as the wicked, and if the saints must appear before 
the judgment-seat, as well as the sinners; then what ad- 
vantage have the godly more than tho ungodly ? and how 
can the saints be in a better condition than the wicked? 
Answ. Read this verse over again, and you will find a mar- 
vellous difference between them, as much as is between 
heaven and hell, everlasting joy and everlasting torments : 
for you find, that when the beggar died, who represents 
the godly, he was carried by the angels into Abraham's 
bosom, or into everlasting joy. But the ungodly are not so 
(Psalm i.), but are driven away in their wickedness (Prov. 
xiv. 32) ; hurried by the devils into the bottomless pit, for 
it saith, "And in hell he lift up his eyes." "When the 
ungodly die, their misery beginneth; for then appear the 
devils, like so many lions, waiting every moment till the 
soul depart from the body. Sometimes they are visible to 
the dying party, but sometimes more invisible; but always 
this is certain, they never miss of the soul, if it do die out 
of the Lord Jesus Christ; but do haul it away to the prison, 
as I said before; there to be tormented and reserved until 
the great and dreadful clay of judgment ; at which day they 
must, body and soul, receive a final sentence from the 
righteous judge, and from that time be shut out from the 
presence of G-od into everlasting woe and distress. But the 
godly, when the time of their departure is at hand, then also 
are the angels of the Lord at hand; yea, these are ready, 
waiting upon the soul to conduct it safe into Abraham's 
bosom. I do not say but the devils are ofttimes very busy 
doubtless, and attending the saints in their sickness; ay, 
and no question but they would willingly deprive the soul 



168 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

of glory. But here is the comfort ; as the devils come from 
hell to devour the soul (if it be possible) at its departure; 
so the angels of the Lord come from heaven, to watch over 
and conduct the soul (in spite of the devils) safe into Abra- 
ham's bosom. 

David had the comfort of this, and speaks it forth for the 
comfort of his brethren (Psalm xxxiv. 7), saying, "The 
angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear 
him, and delivereth them." Mark, the angel of the Lord 
encampeth round about his children, to deliver them. From 
what ? From their enemies ; of which the devil is not the 
least. This is an excellent comfort at any time, to have the 
holy angels of God to attend a poor man or woman ; but 
especially it is comfortable in the time of distress, at the 
time of death, when the devils beset the soul with all the 
power that hell can afford them. But now it may be, that 
the glorious angels of God do not appear at the first to the 
view of the soul; nay, rather, hell stands before it, and the 
devils ready, as if they would carry it thither ; but this is 
the comfort, the angels do always appear at the last, and 
will not fail the soul, but will carry it safe into Abraham's 
bosom. Ah friends ! consider ; here is an ungodly man 
upon his death-bed, and he hath none to speak for him, 
none to speak comfort unto him ; but it is not so with the 
children of G-od, for they have the Spirit to comfort them. 
Here are the ungodly, and they have no Christ to pray for 
their safe conduct to glory ; but the saints have an interces- 
sor. Job xvii. 9. Here are the world; when they die, they 
have none of the angels of God to attend upon them; but 
the saints have their company. In a word, the uncon- 
verted person when he dies, sinks into the bottomless pit; 
but the saints when they die, ascend with, and by the 
angels, into Abraham's bosom, or into unspeakable glory. 
Luke xxiii. 43. 

Again, it is said, that the rich man when he died, was 



DIFFERENT ESTIMATION OF THE DEAD. 169 

buried, or put into the earth ; but when the beggar died, he 
was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The one 
is a very excellent style, where it saith, he was carried by 
angels into Abraham's bosom; it denotes the excellent con- 
dition of the saints of God, as I said before; and not only 
so, but also the preciousness of the death of the saints in 
the eyes of the Lord. Psalm cxvi. 15. After generations 
may see how precious in the sight of the Lord the death of 
his saints is, when he saith, they are carried by the angels 
into Abraham's bosom. 

Thus many times the Lord adorneth the death and de- 
parture of his saints, to hold forth to after generations how 
excellent they are in his eyes. It is said of Enoch, that 
G-od took him ; of Abraham, that he died in a good old age ; 
of Moses, that the Lord buried him; of Elijah, that he was 
taken up into heaven; that the saints die in the Lord; that 
they sleep in Jesus; that they rest from their labors, and 
that their works follow them; that they are under the altar; 
that they are with Christ; that they are in light; that they 
are to come with the Lord Jesus to judge the world. All 
which sayings signify thus much, that to die as a saint, is a 
very great honor and dignity. But the ungodly are not so. 
The rich man dies, and is buried; he is carried from his 
dwelling to his grave, and there he is hid in the dust; and 
his body doth not so fast moulder and come to nought 
there, as his name doth stink as fast in the world. As 
saith the holy scripture, " The name of the wicked shall 
rot." And indeed, the names of the godly are not in so 
much honor after their departure, but the wicked and their 
names do as much rot. What a dishonor to posterity was 
the death of Balaam, Agag, Ahitophel, Haman, Judas, 
Herod, with the rest of their companions ! 

Thus the wicked have their names written in the earth, 
and they do perish and rot; but the names of the saints 
cast forth a dainty savor to following generations. And 

15 



170 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

that the Lord Jesus doth signify where he saith, the godly 
are carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom; and that 
the wicked are nothing worth, where he saith, the ungodly 
die and are buried. 



CHAPTER Y. 



AND IN HELL HE LIFT UP HIS EYES, BEING IN TORMENTS, AND SEETH ABRAHAM AFAR OFF 

and Lazarus in his bosom. — Yerse 23. 



The former verse speaks only of the departure of the 
ungodly out of this life, together with the glorious conduct 
that the godly have into the kingdom of their Father. Now, 
our Lord doth show in this verse, partly what doth and 
shall befall the reprobate, after this life is ended, where 
he saith, "And in hell he lift up his eyes." That is, the 
ungodly, after they depart this life, do lift up their eyes in 
hell. From these words may be observed these things. 

1. That there is a Hell for souls to be tormented in, 
when this life is ended. Mark, after he was dead and 
buried, " In hell he lift up his eyes." 

2. That all that are ungodly, and do live and die in their 
sins, so soon as ever they die, they go into Hell. He died 
and was buried, " And in hell he lift up his eyes." 

3. That some are fast asleep, and so secure in their sins, 
that they scarce know well where they are till they come 
into Hell, and that I gather from these words, "In hell he 
lift up his eyes." He was asleep before, but hell makes 
him lift up his eyes. 

As I said before, it is evident there is a hell for souls 
(yea, and bodies too) to be tormented in after they depart 
this life, as is clear; first, because the Lord Jesus Christ, that 
cannot lie, did say, that after the sinner was dead and 
buried, "In hell he lift up his eyes." 



HELL DOES NOT MEAN THE GRAVE. 171 

Now, if it be objected, that by hell is here meant the 
grave, that I plainly deny: 1. Because there the body is 
not sensible of torment or ease; but in that hell into which 
the spirits of the damned depart, they are sensible of tor- 
ment, and would very willingly be free from it, to enjoy 1 
ease, which they are sensible of the want of; as is clearly 
discovered in this parable, "Send Lazarus, that he may dip 
the tip of his finger in water, to cool my tongue." 2. It is 
not meant the grave, but some other place; because the 
bodies, so long as they lie there, are not capable of lifting 
up their eyes to see the glorious condition of the children 
of G-od, as the souls of the damned do. "In hell he lift 
up his eyes." 3. It cannot be the grave; for then it must 
follow, that the soul was buried there with the body, which 
cannot stand with such a dead state as is here mentioned; 
for he saith, "The rich man died;" that is, his soul was 
separated from his body; "and in hell he lift up his eyes." 

If it be again objected, That there is no hell but in this 
life, that I do also deny ; as I said before, after he was dead 
and buried, "in hell he lift up his eyes." And let me tell 
thee, soul, whoever thou art, that if thou close not in 
savingly with the Lord Jesus Christ, and lay hold on what 
he hath done, and is doing in his own person for sinners, 
thou wilt find such a hell after this life is ended, that thou 
wilt not get out of again for ever and ever. And thou that 
art wanton, and dost make but a mock at the servants of the 
Lord, when they tell thee of the torments of hell, thou wilt 
find, that when thou departest out of this life, that hell, 
even the hell which is after this life, will meet thee in thy 
journey thither, and will, with its hellish crew, give thee 
such a sad salutation, that thou wilt not forget it to all eter- 
nity; when that scripture comes to be fulfilled on thy soul 
in Isa. xiv. 9,10, "Hell from beneath it moved for thee, to 
meet thee at thy coming : it stirreth up the dead for thee, 
even all the chief ones of the earth : it hath raised up from 



172 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they/' that 
is, that are in hell, "shall say, Art thou also become weak 
as we ? Art thou become like unto us V Oh ! sometimes 
when I have had but thoughts of going to hell, and consider 
the everlastingness of their ruin that fall in thither, it hath 
stirred me up rather to seek to the Lord Jesus Christ to 
deliver me from thence, than to slight it, and make a mock 
at it. 

"And in hell he lift up his eyes." The second thing I 
told you was this, that all the ungodly that live and die in 
their sins, so soon as ever they depart this life, do descend 
into hell. This is also verified by the words in this parable, 
where Christ saith, "He died, and was buried; and in hell 
he lift up his eyes." As the tree falls, so shall it lie, Eccles. 
si. 3, whether it be to heaven or hell. x\nd as Christ said 
to the thief on the cross, "This day shalt thou be with me 
in paradise; even so the devil, in the like manner, may say 
unto the soul, To-morrow shalt thou be with me in hell. 
See then what a miserable case he that dies in an unregene- 
rate state is in. He departs from a long sickness to a longer 
hell ; from the gripings of death to the everlasting torments 
of hell. "And in hell he lift up his eyes." Ah, friends ! 
if you were but yourselves, you would have a care of your 
souls; if you did but regard, you would see how mad they 
are that slight the salvation of their souls. what will it 
profit thy soul to have pleasure in this life, and torment in 
hell ! Mark viii. 36. Thou hadst better part with all thy 
sins, and pleasures, and companions, or whatsoever thou de- 
light est in, than to have soul and body cast into hell. Mark 
ix. 43. then do not neglect our Lord Jesus Christ, lest 
thou drop down to hell ! Heb. ii. 3. Consider, would it not 
wound thee to thine heart, to come upon thy death-bed, and 
instead of having the comfort of a well-spent life, and the 
merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, together with the comfort 
of his glorious Spirit, to have, first, the sight of an ill-spent 



the sinner's death-bed. 173 

life, thy sins flying in thy face, thy conscience uttering itself 
with thunder-claps against thee, the thoughts of God terri- 
fying thee, death, with his merciless paw, seizing upon thee, 
the devils standing ready to scramble for thy soul, and hell 
enlarging herself, and ready to swallow thee up ; and then 
an eternity of misery and torment attending upon thee, from 
which there will be no release. For, mark; death doth not 
come alone to an unconverted soul, but with such company 
as/ wast thou but sensible of it, would make thee tremble. 
I pray consider that scripture, Rev. vi. 8, "And I looked, 
and behold a pale horse ; and his name that sat upon him 
was Death, and hell followed with him/' Mark, death doth 
not come alone to the ungodly; no, but hell goeth with him. 
miserable comforters ! miserable society ! Here come 
death and hell unto thee. Death goeth into thy body, and 
separates body and soul asunder; hell stands without (as I 
may say) to embrace, or rather, to crush thy soul between 
its everlasting grinders. Then thy mirth, thy joy, thy sin- 
ful delights, will be ended when it comes to pass. Lo it 
will come. Blessed are those, that through Jesus Christ's 
mercies, by faith, do escape these soul-murdering compa- 
nions. "And in hell he lift up his eyes." 

The third thing, you know, that we did observe from these 
words, was this, that some are so fast asleep, and secure in 
their sins, that they scarce know where they are, until they 
come into hell. And that I told you, I gather by these 
words, "In hell he lift up his eyes:" mark, it was in hell 
that he lift up his eyes. Now, some do understand by these 
words, that he came to himself, or began to consider with 
himself, or to think with himself, in what a state he was, 
and what he was deprived of; which is still a confirmation 
of the thing laid down by me. There it is that they come 
to themselves, that is, there they are sensible where they 
are indeed. Thus it fares with some men, that they scarce 
know where they are, till they lift up their eyes in hell. It 

15* 



174 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

is with these people as with those that fall down in a 
swoon. You know if a man fall down in a swoon in one 
room, though you take him up and carry him into another, 
yet he is not sensible where he is, till he comes to himself, 
and lifts up his eyes. 

Truly, thus, as it is to be feared, it is with many poor 
souls, they are so senseless, so hard, so seared in their con- 
science (1 Tim. iv. 2), that they are very ignorant of their 
state; and when death comes, it strikes them, as it were, 
into a swoon (especially if they die suddenly), and so they 
are hurried away, and scarce know where they are, till in 
hell they lift up their eyes. This is he who dieth in his 
full strength, fully at ease and quiet. Job. xxi. 23. 

Of this sort are they spoken of in Psalm lxxiii., where 
it saith, "There are no bands in their death; but their 
strength is firm. They are not troubled as other men ; nei- 
ther are they plagued like other men." And again, "They 
spend their days in wealth, and in a moment," mark, " in 
a moment," before they are aware, "they go down into 
the grave "Job xxi. 13. 

Indeed, this is too much known by woful and daily ex- 
perience. Sometimes when we go to visit them that are 
sick in the towns and places where we live, how senseless, 
how seared in their conscience are they ! They are neither 
sensible of heaven nor of hell; of sin nor of a Saviour; 
speak to them of their condition and the state of their souls, 
and you shall find them as ignorant as if they had no souls 
to regard. Others, though they lie ready to die, yet they 
are busying themselves about their outward affairs, as though 
they should certainly live here, even to live and enjoy the 
same for ever. Again, come to others, speak to them about 
the state of their souls; though they have no more experi- 
ence of the new birth than a beast, yet will they speak as 
confidently of their eternal state, and the welfare of their 
souls, as if they had the most excellent experience of any 



DELUSIONS OF THE SICK AND DYING. 175 

man or woman in the world, saying, "I shall have peace" 
(Deut. xxix. 19), when, as I said even now, the Lord 
knows they are as ignorant of the new birth, of the nature 
and operation of faith, of the witness of the Spirit, as if 
there were no new birth, no faith, no witness of the Spirit 
of Christ in any of the saints in the world. Nay, thus 
many of them are, even an hour or less before their de- 
parture. Ah, poor souls ! though they may go away here 
like a lamb, as the world says, yet if you could but follow 
them a little, to stand and listen ; soon after their departure, 
it is to be feared, you shall hear them roaj* like a lion, at 
their first entrance into hell, far worse than ever did Korah, 
and his company, when they went down quick into the 
ground. Num. xvi. 31—35. 

Now, by this one thing doth the devil take great advan- 
tage on the hearts of the ignorant, suggesting to them, that 
because the party deceased departed so quietly, without all 
doubt they are gone to rest and joy; when, alas ! it is to be 
feared, the reason why they went away so quietly, was ra- 
ther because they were senseless and hardened in their 
conscience; yea, dead before in sin and trespasses. For 
had they but some awakenings on their death-beds, as some 
have had, they would have made all the town ring of their 
doleful condition; but because they are seared and igno- 
rant, and so departed quietly, therefore the world takes 
heart at grass (as we use to say) and makes no great matter 
of living and dying they cannot tell how: " Therefore pride 
compasseth them as a chain/' Psalm lxxiii. 5, 6. But let 
them look to themselves ; for if they have not an interest in 
the Lord Jesus now, while they live in the world, they will, 
whether they die raging or still, go unto the same place, 
and lift up their eyes in hell. 

my friends, did you but know what a miserable condi- 
tion they are in, that go out of this world without an interest 
in the Son of G-od, it would make you smite upon your thigh, 



176 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

and in the bitterness of your souls cry out, "Men and bre- 
thren, what shall we do to be saved V Acts ii. 37. And 
not only so, sinner, but thou wouldst not be comforted until 
thou didst find a rest for thy soul in the Lord Jesus Christ. 



CHAPTER VI. 

And in hell he lift up his etes, being in torments, and seeih Abraham afar off 
and Lazarus in his bosom. — Terse 23. 

Something in brief I have observed from the first part 
of this verse, namely, from these words, "And in hell he 
lift up his eyes." And indeed I have observed but some 
things ; for they are very full of matter, and many things 
might be taken notice of in them. There is one thing more 
that I might touch upon, as couched in this saying, and 
that is this. Methinks the Lord Jesus Christ doth hereby 
signify, that men are naturally umoilling to see or to take 
notice of their sad state ; I say by nature; but, though now 
they are willingly ignorant, yet in hell they shall lift up 
their eyes. That is, in hell they shall see and under- 
stand their miserable condition; and therefore to these 
words, "In hell he lift up his eyes," he adds, "being in 
torments." As if he had said, Though once they shut their 
eyes; though once they were willingly ignorant (2 Peter 
iii. 5); yet when they depart into hell, they shall be so 
miserably handled and tormented, that they shall be forced 
to open their eyes. While men live in this world, and are 
in a natural state, they will have a good' conceit of them- 
selves, and of their condition; they will conclude that they 
are Christians, that Abraham is their father (Matt. iii. 7, 
8), and that their state is as good as the best; they will 
conclude they have faith, the Spirit, good hope, an interest 



MENS's EYES WILL OPEN IN HELL. 177 

in the Lord Jesus Christ: but when they drop into hell, 
and lift up their eyes there, and behold, first their souls to 
be in extreme torment; their dwelling to be the bottomless 
pit; their company thousands of damned souls, also the 
innumerable company of devils; and the hot scalding ven- 
geance of God, not only to drop, but to fall very violently 
upon them; then they will be awakened, who all their life- 
time were in a sleep. I say, when this comes to pass — for 
lo, it will — then in hell they shall lift up their eyes; in the 
midst of torment they shall lift up their eyes. 

Again, you may observe in these words, " And in hell he 
lift up his eyes, being in torments," that ungodly men will 
smart for their sins, in the torments of hell. Now, here I 
am put to stand, when I consider the torments of hell into 
which the damned do fall. unspeakable torments ! 
endless torments ! Now, that thy soul might be made to 
flee from those intolerable torments into which the damned 
do go, I shall show you briefly what are the torments of 
hell. First, by the names of hell. Secondly, by the sad 
state thou wilt be in, if thou comest there. 1. The names. 
It is called a never-dying worm (Mark ix.); it is called an 
oven-fire, hot (Mai. iv. 1); it is called a furnace, a fiery 
furnace (Matt, xiii.) ; it is called the bottomless pit, the un- 
quenchable fire, fire and brimstone, hell-fire, a stream of fire, 
the lake of fire, devouring fire, everlasting fire, eternal fire. 
Rev. xx. ; Matt. iii. ; Mark ix. 

1. One part of thy torments will be this : Thou shalt 
have a full sight of all thy ill spent life from first to last. 
Though here thou canst sin to-day, and forget it by to- 
morrow ; yet there thou shalt be made to remember how 
thou didst sin against Grod at such a time, and in such a 
place, for such a thing, and with such a one, which will be 
a hell unto thee. Psalm 1. 21. Grod will "set them (thy 
sins) in order before thine eyes/' 

2. Thou shalt have the guilt of them all lie heavy on 



178 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

thy soul, not only the guilt of one or two, hut the guilt of 
them all together, and there they shall lie in thy soul, as if 
thy belly were full of pitch, and set on a light fire. Here 
men can sometimes think on their sins with delight, but 
there with unspeakable torment; for that I understand to 
be the fire that Christ speaketh of, which shall never be 
quenched. Mark ix. 43-47. While men live here, how 
doth the guilt of one sin sometimes crush the soul ! It makes 
a man in such a plight, that he is weary of his life ; so that 
he can neither rest at home nor abroad, neither up nor in 
bed; nay, I do not know, but they have been so tormented 
with the guilt of one sinful thought, that they have been 
even at their wits' ends, and have hanged themselves. But 
now when thou comest into hell, and hast not only one, or 
two, or an hundred sins, with the guilt of them all on thy 
soul and body; but all the sins that ever thou didst commit 
since thou earnest into the world, all together clapped on 
thy conscience at one time, as one should clap a red hot iron 
to thy breast, and there to continue to all eternity ; this is 
miserable. 

3. Again, then thou shalt have brought into thy remem- 
brance, the slighting of the gospel of Christ. Here thou shalt 
consider how willing Christ was to come into the world to 
save sinners, and for what a trifle thou didst reject him. 
This is plainly held forth in Isa. xxviii., where, speaking 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the foundation of salvation (verse 
16), he saith of them that reject the gospel, that when the 
overflowing scourge doth pass through the earth (which I 
understand to be at the end of the world), then saith he, It 
shall take you : morning by morning, by day and by night, 
shall it pass over you ; that is, continually without any in- 
termission ; — and it shall be a vexation only to understand 
the report. A vexation, that is, a torment, or a great part 
of hell, only to understand the report, to understand the 
good tidings that came into the world, by Christ's death, for 



TORMENTS IN HELL. 179 

poor sinners. And you will find this verily, to be the mind 
of the Spirit, if you compare it with Isa. liii. 1, where he 
speaks of men's turning their backs upon the tenders of 
God's grace in the gospel. He saith, « Who hath believed 
our report ?" or, the gospel declared by us. Now this will 
be a mighty torment to the ungodly, when they shall under- 
stand the goodness of God was so great, that he even sent 
his Son out of his bosom to die for sinners, and yet that 
they should be so foolish, as to put him off from one time to 
another; that they should be so foolish, as to lose heaven 
and Christ, and eternal life in glory, for the society of a 
company of drunkards ; that they should lose their souls for 
a little sport, for this world, for a strumpet, for that which is 
lighter than vanity and nothing; I say, this will be a very 
great torment unto thee. 

4. Another part of thy torment will be this : Thou shalt 
see thy friends, thy acquaintance, thy neighbors; nay, it 
may be thy father, thy mother, thy wife, thy husband, thy 
children, thy brother, thy sister, with others, in the kingdom 
of heaven, and thyself thrust out. Luke xiii. 28. There 
shall be weeping, &c, when you shall see Abraham (your 
father), and Isaac, and Jacob (together with your brethren), 
the prophets, in the kingdom of heaven, and you yourselves 
thrust out. Nay, saith he, "They shall come from the 
east, and from the west;" that is, those that thou didst 
never see in all thy life before, and they shall sit down with 
thy friends, and thy neighbors, thy wife, and children, in 
the kingdom of heaven, and thou, for thy sins and disobe- 
dience, shalt be shut out, nay, thrust out. wonderful 
torment ! 

5. Again, thou shalt have none but a company of damned 
souls, with an innumerable company of devils, to keep com- 
pany with thee. While thou art in this world, the very 
thoughts of the devils appearing to thee makes thy flesh to 
tremble, and thine hair ready to stand upright on thy head. 



180 



SIGHS FROM HELL. 



But ! what wilt thou do, when not only the supposition 
of the devil's appearing, but the real society of all the devils 
of hell will be with thee, howling and yelling, screeching and 
roaring in such a hideous manner, that thou wilt be even at 
thy wits' end, and be ready to run stark mad again for 
anguish and torment ! 

6. Again, that thou mightst be tormented to purpose, the 
mighty God of heaven will lay as great wrath and vengeance 
upon thee as ever he can, by the might of his glorious power. 
As I said before, thou shalt have his wrath, not by drops; 
but by whole showers shall it come, thunder, thunder, upon 
thy body and soul, so fast and so thick, that thou shalt be 
tormented out of measure. And so saith the scripture, 
speaking of the wicked, " Who shall be punished with ever- 
lasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from 
the glory of his power," when the saints shall be admiring 
his goodness and glory. 2 Thess. i. 9, 10. 

Again, this thou shalt have, as I said before, without any 
intermission; thou shalt not have any ease so long as while 
a man may turn himself round; thou shalt have it always, 
every hour, day and night; for their worm never dies, but 
always gnaws, and their fire is never quenched, as it is 
written in Mark ix. 

Again, in this condition thou must be for ever, and that 
is as sad as all the rest. For if a man were to have all his 
sins laid to his charge, and communion with the devils, and 
as much wrath as the great Grod of heaven can inflict upon 
him, — I say, if it were but for a time, even ten thousand 
years, and so end, there would be ground of comfort, and 
hopes of deliverance: but here is thy misery; this is thy 
state for ever; here thou must be for ever. When thou 
lookest about thee, and seest what an innumerable company 
of howling devils thou art amongst, thou shalt think this 
again, This is my portion for ever. When thou hast been 
in hell so many thousand years as there are stars in the 



SINNERS FAR FROM HEAVEN. 181 

firmament, or drops in the sea, or sands on the sea-shore, yet 
thou hast to lie there for ever. this one word, ever, how 
will it torment thy soul ! 

Friends, I have only given a very short touch of the tor- 
ments of hell. ! I am set, I am set, and am not able to 
utter what my mind conceives of the torments of hell ! Yet 
let me say to thee, accept of God's mercy through our 
Lord Jesus Christ, lest thou feel that with thy conscience 
which I cannot express with my tongue, and say, "I am 
sorely tormented in this flame." 

"And seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bo- 
som :" 

When the damned are in this pitiful state, surrounded 
with fears, with terrors, with torment and vengeance, one 
thing they shall have, which is this, they shall see the happy 
and blessed state of God's children : " He seeth Abraham 
afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom ;" which, as I said before, 
is the happy state of the saints when this life is ended. This 
now shall be so far from being an ease unto them, that it 
shall most wonderfully aggravate or heighten their torment, 
as I said before. There shall be weeping, or cause of 
lamentation, when they shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and 
Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven, and themselves thrust out. 

" He seeth Abraham a/a?' off, and Lazarus in his bosom." 
Observe, Those that die in their sins are far from going to 
heaven. And indeed, it is just with God to deal with 
them that die in their sins, according to what they have 
done, and to make them who are far from righteousness 
now, to stand far from heaven to all eternity. Hearken to 
this, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness, and 
that are resolved to go on in your sins, — when you die you 
will be far from heaven ; you will see Lazarus, but it will 
be afar off. 

Again, " He seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in Ms 
bosom" 

16 



182 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

These are sortie of the things the damned do behold, as 
soon as they come into torment. Mark, he seeth Lazarus in 
Abraham's bosom. Lazarus, who was he ? Why, even he 
that was so slighted, so disregarded, so undervalued, by this 
ungodly one while he was in the world : he seeth Lazarus in 
his bosom. 

From whence observe, That those who live and die the 
enemies of the saints of God, let them be ever so great and 
stout, let them bear ever so much sway while they are in 
the world, let them brag and boast ever so much while they 
are here, they shall in spite of their teeth see the saints, yea, 
the poor saints, even the Lazaruses, or the ragged ones that 
belong to Jesus, to be in a better condition than themselves. 
! who do you think was in the best condition ? who do 
you think saw himself in the best condition ? — he that was 
in hell, or he that was in heaven ? — he that was in darkness, 
or he that was in light ? he that was in everlasting joy, or 
he that was in everlasting torments ? The one with God, 
Christ, saints, angels ; the other in tormenting flames, under 
the curse of God's eternal hatred, with the devil and his 
angels, together with an innumerable company of howling, 
roaring, cursing, ever-burning reprobates ? Certainly this 
observation will be easily proved to be true here in this 
world, by him that looks upon it with an understanding 
heart, and will clear itself to be true in the world to come, 
by such as shall go either to heaven or to hell. 

Another observation from these words, "And seeth Abra- 
ham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom," is this : they that 
are the persecutors of the saints of the Lord now in this 
world, shall see the Lord's persecuted ones to be they that 
are so highly esteemed by the Lord, as to be in Abraham's 
bosom (in everlasting glory); though the enemies to the 
children of God did so lightly esteem them, that they 
scorned to let them gather up the dog's meat that fell under 
their table. This is also verified, and held forth plainly by 



GREAT CHANGES IN THE NEXT LIFE. 183 

this parable. And therefore be not grieved, you that are 
tempted, persecuted, afflicted, sighing, praying saints of the 
Lord, though your adversaries look upon you now with a 
disdainful, surly, rugged, proud, and haughty countenance, 
yet the time shall come when they shall spy you in Abra- 
ham's bosom ! 

I might enlarge upon these things, but shall leave them 
to the Spirit of the Lord, which can better by ten thousand 
degrees enlarge them on thy heart and conscience, than I 
can upon a piece of paper. Therefore, leaving these to the 
blessing of the Lord, I shall come to the next verse, and 
shall be brief in speaking to that also, and so pass to the 
rest. 






CHAPTER VII. 



And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus, 
that he mat dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for i am 

TORMENTED IN THIS FLAME. — Verse 24. 



You know I told you, that there is a discovery of the 
departure of the godly and the ungodly out of this life, 
where he saith the beggar died, and the rich man also 
died. The next verse is a discovery of the proper places, 
both of the godly and ungodly after death ; one being in 
Abraham's bosom, or in glory; the other in hell. Now, 
here is a discovery of part of the too late repentance 
of the ungodly, when they are dropped down into hell. 
"And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy 
upon me." 

From the words, "And he cried/ 7 we may observe, first, 
What a change the ungodly will have when they come into 
hell. "He cried." It is likely he was laughing, jesting, 
jeering, drinking, mocking, swearing, cursing, prating, per- 



184 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

secuting the godly in his prosperity, among his filthy com- 
panions But now the case is otherwise ; now he is in an- 
other frame ; now his proud, stout, currish carriage is come 
down. " And he cried." The laughter of the ungodly will 
not last always, but will be sure to end in a cry. " The 
triumphing of the wicked is short." Job xx. 5. Consider, 
you must have a change, either here, or in hell. If you be 
not new creatures, regenerate persons, new-born babes in 
this world, before you go hence, your note will be changed, 
your conditions will be changed; for if you come into hell, 
you must cry. 0, did but the singing drunkards, when they 
are making merry on the alehouse bench, think on this, it 
would make them change their note, and cry, "What shall I 
do ? Whither shall I go when I die ? But as I said before, 
the devil, as he labors to get poor souls to follow their sins, 
so he labors also to keep the thoughts of eternal damnation 
out of their minds. And indeed these two things are so 
nearly linked together, that the devil cannot well get the 
soul to go on in sin with delight, unless he can keep the 
thoughts of that terrible after-clap out of their minds. 

But let them know, that it shall not always be thus with 
them; for if when they depart, they drop down into eternal 
destruction, they shall have such a sense of their sins, and 
the punishment due to the same, that it shall make them to 
cry. "And he cried." what an alteration will there be 
among the ungodly when they go out of this world. It 
may be, a fortnight, or a month, before their departure, 
they were light, stout, surly; drinking themselves drunk, 
slighting G-od's people, mocking at goodness, and delighting 
in sin, following the world, seeking after riches, faring de- 
liciously, keeping company with the bravest; but now they 
are dropped down into hell, they cry. A little while ago 
they were painting their faces, feeding their lusts, following 
their whores, robbing their neighbors, telling lies, following 
plays and sports to pass away the time ; but now they are 



THE CRIES OF LOST SOULS. 185 

in hell, they do cry. It may be last year they heard some 
good sermons, were invited to receive heaven, were told 
their sins should be pardoned if they closed in with Jesus; 
but refusing his proffers and slighting the grace that was 
once tendered, they are now in hell, and do cry. 

Before, they had so much time, they thought that they 
could not tell how to spend it, unless it were in hunting, 
and whoring, in dancing, and playing, and spending whole 
hours, yea, days, nay, weeks, in the lusts of the flesh : but 
when they depart into another place, and begin to lift up 
their eyes in hell, and consider their miserable and irre- 
coverable condition, they will cry. 

what a condition wilt thou fall into, when thou dost 
depart this world! If thou depart unconverted, and not 
born again, thou hadst better have been smothered the first 
hour thou wast born; thou hadst better have been plucked 
one limb from another; thou hadst better have been made 
a dog, a toad, a serpent, nay, any other creature in the visi- 
ble world, than to die unconverted; and this thou wilt find 
to be true, when in hell thou dost lift thine eyes, and dost 
cry. 

Here then, before we go any further, you may see that it 
is not without good ground that these words are spoken by 
our Lord, that when any of the ungodly do depart into hell, 
they will cry. Cry : why so ? 

1. They will cry to think that they should be cut off 
from the land of the living, never more to have any footing 
therein. 

2. They will cry to think that the gospel of Christ should 
be so often proffered to them, and yet they are not profited 
by it. 

3. They will cry to think that now, though they would 
never so willingly repent and be saved, yet they are past all 
recovery. 

4. They will cry to think that they should be so foolish 

16* 



186 SIGHS PROM HELL. 

as to follow their pleasures, when others were following 
Christ. Luke xiii. 28. 

5. They will cry to think that they must be separated 
from G-od, Christ, and the kingdom of heaven, and that for 
ever. 

6. To think that their crying will now do them no good. 

7. To think that at the day of judgment they must stand 
at the left hand of Christ, among an innumerable company 
of damned ones. 

8. They will cry to think, that Lazarus, whom once they 
slighted, must be of them that must sit down with Christ to 
judge, or together with Christ, to pass a sentence of con- 
demnation on their souls for ever. 1 Cor. yi. 2, 3. 

9. They will cry to think, that when the judgment is 
over, and others are taken into the everlasting kingdom of 
glory, then they must depart back again into that dungeon 
of darkness from whence they came out (to appear before 
the terrible tribunal), where they shall be tormented so 
long as eternity lasts, without the least intermission or ease. 

How sayst thou, thou wanton, proud, swearing, lying, 
ungodly wretch ! whether this be to be slighted and made a 
mock at ? And again, tell me, now if it be not better to leave 
sin and to close in with Christ Jesus, notwithstanding that 
reproach thou shalt meet with for so doing, than to live a 
little while in this world in pleasures, and feeding thy lusts, 
in neglecting the welfare of thy soul, and refusing to bo 
justified by Jesus; and in a moment to drop down to hell, 
and to cry? consider, I say, consider betimes, and put 
not off the tenders^ of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
lest you lift up your eyes in hell, and cry for anguish of 
spirit. 

"And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy 
upon me, and send Lazarus," &c. 

These words do not only hold forth the lamentable con- 
dition of the damned, and their lamentable howling and 



TOO LATE REPENTANCE. 187 

crying out under their anguish of spirit, but also they do 
signify to us (as I said before) their too late repentance; 
and also that they would very willingly, if they might, be 
set at liberty from that everlasting misery, that by their sins 
they have plunged themselves into. I say, these words do 
hold a desire that the damned have, to be delivered from 
those torments, that they now are in : " father Abraham/' 
saith he, "have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus, that he 
may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, 
for I am tormented in this flame." . . . However, or whoso- 
ever Abraham is, yet these truths may be observed from the 
words : 

1. That the damned, when in an irrecoverable state, will 
seek for, or desire deliverance from the wrath that they are, 
and shall be in, for eternity. 

2. That they will pray (if I may so call it) earnestly for 
deliverance from their miserable state. These two things 
are clear from the words. For mark, he not only said, 
" Father Abraham have mercy upon me;' 7 but he cried, and 
said, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me." From whence 
take a third observation, and that is, there is a time coming, 
wherein though men shall both cry and pray, they are likely 
to have no mercy at the hand of God : for so was this man 
served, as I shall further show by and by, when I come to it. 

Some people are so deluded by the devil, as to think, that 
God is so merciful, as to own and regard any thing for 
prayer. They think any thing will go for current and good 
satisfaction, while they are herein this world; through igno- 
rance of the true nature of the mercy of God, and the know- 
ledge in what way God is satisfied for sinners. Now, I say, 
through ignorance they think, that if they do but mutter 
over some form of prayers, though they know not what they 
say, nor what they request, yet God is satisfied, yea, very 
well satisfied with their doings ; when alas ! there is nothing 
less. friends, I beseech you to look about you, and seek 



188 SIGHS PROM HELL. 

in good earnest for the Spirit of Christ, so to help you now 
to strive and pray ; and to enable you to lay hold on Christ, 
that your souls may be saved; lest the time come, that 
though you cry and pray, and wish also that you had laid 
hold on the Lord Jesus, yet you must and shall be damned. 

Then again, you may see that though Grod be willing to 
save sinners at some time, yet this time doth not always last. 
Xo; he that can find in his heart to turn his back upon 
Jesus Christ now, shall have the back turned upon him 
hereafter, when he may cry and pray for mercy, and yet go 
without it. Grod will have a time to meet with them that 
now do not seek after him : they shall have a time, yea time 
enough hereafter to repent their folly, and to befool them- 
selves, for turning their backs upon the Lord Jesus Christ. 
"I will laugh at their calamities," saith he, "and mock 
when their fear cometh. Prov. i. 26. 

Again, this should admonish us to take time while it is 
proffered, lest we repent us of our unbelief and rebellion 
when we are deprived of it. Ah friends ! time is precious, an 
hour's time to hear a sermon is precious. I have sometimes 
thought thus with myself: Set the case, that the Lord should 
send two or three of his servants, the ministers of the gospel, 
to hell among the damned, with this com m ission, Gro ye to 
hell, and preach my grace to those that are there; let your 
sermon be an hour long, and hold forth the merits of my 
Son's birth, righteousness, death, resurrection, ascension and 
intercession, with all my love in him ; and proffer it to 
them, telling them, that now once, do I proffer the means of 
reconciliation to them. They who are now roaring, being 
past hope, would then leap at the least proffer of mercy. 
Oh ! they that could spend whole days, weeks, nay years, in 
rejecting the Son of Grod, would now be glad of one tender 
of that mercy. "Father," saith he, "have mercy on me." 

Again, from these words you may observe, that mercy 
would be welcome, when souls are under judgment. Now 



MERCY IMPLORED TOO LATE. 189 

this soul is in the fire, now he is under the wrath of God, 
now he is in hell, there to be tormented, now he is with the 
devils and damned spirits, now he feels the vengeance of 
G-od, Now! oh now/ have mercy upon me!' Here you may 
see, that mercy is prized by them that are in hell ! They 
would be glad if they could have it. " Father, have mercy 
on me; for my poor soul's sake, send me a little mercy." 

" And send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger 
in water, and cool my tongue." 

These words do not only hold forth that the ungodly have 
a desire of mercy, but what those mercies are ; what these 
poor creatures would be glad of. 

As, 1. To have the company of a Lazarus granted to 
them : " Father, Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send 
Lazarus." Now Lazarus was he that was beloved of God, 
and also he that was hated of them. Therefore, 

2. Observe, That those saints that in their lifetime the 
sinner could not endure, now they are departed, he would 
be glad to have society with them : '0 now send Lazarus ! 
Though the time was when I cared not for him; yet now let 
me have some society with him.' 

Though the world disregard the society of God's child- 
ren now, yet there is a time coming, in which they would 
be glad to have the least company with them. Nay, do but 
observe, those of the saints that are now most rejected by 
them, even from them shall they be glad of comfort, if it 
might be. * Send Lazarus; he that I slighted more than my 
dogs, he that I could not endure should come into my house, 
but must lie at my gate, send him : now Lazarus shall be 
welcome to me; now I desire some comfort from him/ But 
he shall go without it. 

From whence again, observe, That there is a time com- 
ing, ye surly, dogged persecutors of the saints, that they 
shall slight you, as much as ever you slighted them. You 
have given them many a hard word, told many a lie of them, 



190 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

given them many a "blow : and now in your greatest need 
and extremity they shall not pity yon; the righteous shall 
rather rejoice when he seeth the vengeance of G-od upon 
thee. Psalm lviii. 10. 

"And send Lazarus/'' From whence observe, That any 
of the saints shall then he owned by you to be saints. Now 
you look upon them to be of a sect, with Hymeneus and 
Philetus; but then you shall see them to be the Lazaruses 
of G-od, even G-od's dear children. Though now the saints 
of the Lord will not be owned by you, because they are beg- 
garly, low, poor, contemptible among you; yet the day is 
coming that you shall own them, desire their company, and 
wish for the least courtesy from them. 

"Send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in 
water and cool my tongue ; for I am tormented in this 
flame." 

Thus shall the souls that abide in their sins, cry out in 
the bitterness of their spirits, with wonderful anguish and 
torment of conscience, without intermission — " That he may 
dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue!" 
That he, namely, the man who before, I scorned should eat 
with the dogs of my flock — that before I slighted and had 
no regard of — that I shut out of door — send him, a that he 
may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue." 
Now these words, "That he may dip the tip of his finger 
in water," ... do hold forth the least friendship or favor; 
as if he should have said, 'Now I would be glad of the least 
mercy, now I would be glad of the least comfort, though it 
be but one drop of cold water on the tip of his finger.' One 
would have thought that this had been a small request, a 
small courtesy. One drop of water, what is that ? Take a 
pail full of it, if that will do thee any good. But mark, he 
is not permitted to have so much as one drop, not so much 
as a man may hold on the tip of his finger. This signifies, 
that they that fall short of Christ, shall be tormented even 



THE LEAST FAVOR DENIED TO THE LOST. 191 

as long as eternity lasteth, and shall not have so much as 
the least ease; no, not so long as while a man may turn 
himself round; not so much as leave to swallow his spittle; 
not one drop of cold water ! 

that these things did take place in your hearts ! How 
would it make you to seek after rest for your souls, before 
it be too late, before the sun of the gospel be set upon you ! 

Consider, I say, the misery of the ungodly that they shall 
be in, and avoid their vices, by closing in with the tenders 
of mercy; lest you partake of the same portion with them, 
and cry out in the bitterness of your souls/One drop of cold 
water to cool my tongue/ 

" For I am tormented in this flame." 

Indeed, the reason why the poor world do not so earnestly 
desire mercy, is partly because they do not seriously con- 
sider the torment that they must certainly fall into if they 
die out of Christ. For, let me tell you, did but poor souls 
indeed consider that wrath, that doth by right fall to their 
shares, because of their sins against Glod, they would make 
more haste to God through Christ for mercy than they do. 
Then we should have them say /It is good closing with Christ 
to-day, before we fall into such distress/ 

But why is it said, let him " dip the tip of his finger in 
water, and cool my tongue?' Because, that as the several 
members in the body have their share in sin, and commit- 
ting of that; so the several members of the body shall at 
last be punished for the same. Therefore, when Christ is 
is admonishing his disciples, that they should not turn aside 
from him, and they should rather fear and dread the power 
of their Grod, than another power, he saith, "Fear him 
therefore, that can cast both body and soul into hell." Luke 
xii. 5. And again, "Fear him that can destroy both body 
and soul in hell." Here is not one member only, but all 
the body, the whole body, of which the hands, feet, eyes, 
ears, and tongue, are members. And I am persuaded that 



192 SIGHS PROM HELL. 

though this may be judged carnal by some now ; yet it will 
appear to be a truth then, to the greater misery of those who 
shall be forced to undergo that which Grod in his just judg- 
ment shall inflict upon them. then they will cry/One dram 
of ease for my cursing, swearing, lying, jeering tongue! 
Some ease for my bragging, braving, flattering, threatening, 
dissembling tongue !' Now men can let their tongues run at 
random, as we use to say; now they will be apt to cry, Our 
tongues are our own, who shall control them? Psalm xii. 4. 
But then they will be in another mind. Then, <0 that I 
might have a little ease for my deceitful tongue V Methinks 
sometimes to consider how some men do let their tongues 
run at random, it makes me marvel. Surely they do not 
think they shall be made to give an account for their offend- 
ing with their tongue. Did they but think they shall be 
made to give an account to him who is ready " to judge the 
quick and the dead," surely they would be more wary, and 
have more regard unto their tongue. 

The tongue, saith James, "is an unruly evil full of deadly 
poison. It setteth on fire the whole frame of nature ; and 
is set on fire of hell." James ii. The tongue ; how much 
mischief will it stir up in a very little time ? How many 
"blows and wounds doth it cause ? How many times doth it 
(as James saith) curse man ? How oft is the tongue made 
the conveyer of that hellish poison that is in the heart, both 
to the dishonor of Grod, the hurt of its neighbors, and the 
utter ruin of its own soul ? And do you think the Lord will 
sit still (as I may say), and let thy tongue run as it lists, 
and yet never bring you to an account for the same ? No, 
stay; the Lord will not always keep silence, but will reprove 
thee, and set thy sins in order before thine eyes, sinner : 
yea, and thy tongue, together with the rest of thy members, 
shall be tormented for sinning. And I say, I am very con- 
fident, that though this be made light of now, yet the time 
is coming, when many poor souls will rue the day that ever 



TORMENT FROM THE SINS OF THE TONGUE. 193 

they did speak with a tongue. '0, will one say, that I 
should so disregard my tongue ! that I, when I said so 
and so, had before bitten off my tongue ! that I had been 
born without a tongue ! My tongue ! my tongue ! a little 
water to cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame ! 
even in that flame which my tongue, together with the rest 
of my members, by sinning, have brought me into/ Poor 
souls will now let their tongues say any thing for a little 
profit, for twopence or threepence gain. But oh ! what a 
grief will this be at that day, when they, together with their 
tongue, must smart for that which they by their tongues 
have done while they were in this world. Then you that 
love your souls, look to your tongues; lest you bind your- 
selves down so fast to hell with the sins of your tongues, that 
you will never be able to get loose again to all eternity. 
For by thy words thou shalt be condemned, if thou have not 
a care of thy tongue. " But I say unto you, that for every 
idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account 
thereof in the day of judgment/ '. Matt. xii. 36. 



CHAPTEK VIII. 



But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime recetvedst thy good 
things, and likewise lazarus evil things : but now he is comforted, and thou 
art tormented. — Verse 25. 



These words are the answer to the request of the damned. 
The verse before (as I told you) is a discovery of the de- 
sires they have after they depart this world. Here is the 
answer, " Son, remember/' . . . 

The answer signifies thus much, That instead of having 
any relief or ease, they are hereby the more tormented, and 
that by fresh recollections, or by bringing afresh their former 

17 



194 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

ill-spent life, while in the world, into their remembrance : 
Son, remember that thou hadst good things in thy lifetime. 
As much as if he had said, Thou art now sensible what it is 
to lose thy soul; thou art now sensible what it is to put off 
repentance; thou art now sensible that thou hast befooled 
thyself, in that thou didst spend that time in seeking after 
outward, momentary, earthly things, which thou shouldst 
have spent in seeking to make Jesus Christ sure to thy soul ; 
and now, through thy anguish of spirit in the pains of hell, 
thou wouldst enjoy that which in former time thou didst 
make slight of; but alas ! thou art here beguiled and alto- 
gether disappointed; thy crying will now avail thee nothing 
at all. This is not the accepted time. 2 Cor. vi. 2. This 
is not a time to answer the desires of wretched reprobates. 
If thou hadst cried out in good earnest while grace was 
offered, much might have been; but then thou wast care- 
less, and didst turn the forbearance and goodness of G-od 
into wantonness. Wast thou not told, that those who 
would not hear the Lord when he did call, should not be 
heard when they did call; but contrariwise, he would laugh 
at their calamity, and mock when their fear did come ? 
Prov. i. 24-28. 

Now, therefore, instead of expecting the least drop of 
mercy and favor, call into thy mind how thou didst spend 
those days which G-od did permit thee to live ; I say, re- 
member, that in thy lifetime thou didst behave thyself re- 
belliously against the Lord, in that thou wert careless of his 
word and ordinances, yea, and of the welfare of thine own 
soul also. Therefore, now, I say, instead of expecting or 
hoping for any relief, thou must be forced to call to remem- 
brance thy filthy ways, and feed upon them, to thine ever- 
lasting astonishment and confusion. 

From these words, therefore, which say, " Remember that 
thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things," there are 
these things to be taken notice of. 



BITTER REMEMBRANCES OE THE LOST. 195 

I. They that by putting off repentance, and living in their 
sins, lose their souls, shall, instead of having the least mea- 
sure of comfort when they come into hell, have their ill- 
spent life always very fresh in their remembrance. While 
they live here, they can sin and forget it ; but when they 
depart, they shall have it before them ; they shall have a 
remembrance, or their memory notably enlightened, and a 
dearer, and a continual sight of all their wicked practices 
that they wrought and did while they were in the world. 
" Son, remember/' saith he. Then you will be made to 
remember. As if he had said, 

1. Remember how thou wert born in sin, and brought 
up in the same. 

2. Remember how thou hadst many a time the gospel 
preached to thee for taking away of the same, by him whom 
the gospel doth hold forth. 

3. Remember, that out of love to thy sins and lusts, thou 
didst turn thy back on the tenders of the same gospel of 
good tidings and peace. 

4. Remember that the reason why thou didst lose thy 
soul, was because thou didst not close in with free grace, 
and the tenders of a loving and free-hearted Jesus Christ. 

5. Remember how near thou wast to turning at such and 
such a time; only thou wast willing to give way to thy lusts 
when they wrought, to drunkards when they called, to 
pleasures when they proffered themselves, to the cares and 
encumbrances of the world, which, like so many thorns, did 
choke that or those convictions that were set on thy heart. 

6. Remember how willing thou wast to satisfy thyself 
with an hypocrite's hope, and with a notion of the things of 
God, without the real power and life of the same. 

7. Remember how thou, when thou wast admonished to 
turn, didst put off turning and repenting till another time. 

8. Remember how thou didst dissemble at such a time, 
lie at such a time, cheat thy neighbor at such a time, mock, 



196 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

flout, scoff, taunt, hate, persecute the people of G-od at such 
a time, in such a place, among such company. 

9. Remember, that while others were met together in the 
fear of the Lord to seek him, thou wast met with a company 
of vain companions to sin against him; while the saints 
were praying, thou wast cursing; while they were speak- 
ing good of the name of G-od, thou wast speaking evil of the 
saints of God. then, thou shalt have a scalding hot re- 
membrance of all thy sinful thoughts, words, and actions, 
from the very first to the last of them that ever thou didst 
commit, in all thy lifetime. Then thou wilt find that scrip- 
ture to be a truth, Dent, xxviii. 65, 66, 67, " The Lord 
shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, 
and sorrow of mind : and thy life shall hang in doubt before 
thee, and thou shalt fear day and night, and shall have none 
assurance of thy life : in the morning thou shalt say, Would 
God it were even ! and at even thou shalt say, Would God 
it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith 
thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou 
shalt see." Nay, thou shalt find worse things to thy woe 
than this scripture doth manifest. For indeed there is no 
tongue able to express the horror, terror, torment, and eter- 
nal misery, that those poor souls shall undergo, without the 
least mitigation or ease. A very great part of it shall come 
from that quick, full, and continual remembrance of their 
sins that they shall have; and therefore there is much 
weight in these words, "Son, remember that thou in thy 
lifetime hadst thy good things. " 

From these words you see this is to be observed, that the 
ungodly shall remember, or have in remembrance the mis- 
spending of their lives: "Remember that in thy lifetime 
thou hadst thy good things. You may take these words, 
"good things," either simply for the things of this world, 
which in themselves are called and may be called "good 
things j" or else with these words, namely, the things of 



REMEMBRANCE OF LIFE MISSPENT. 197 

this life; all the pleasures, delights, profits, and vanities, 
which the ignorant people of the world do count their good 
things, and do very much cheer themselves therewith. 
'Soul, eat, drink, and be merry; for thou hast much goods 
laid up for many years/ Luke xii. 19. Now, I say, God, 
according to his glorious power and wisdom, will make poor 
creatures have always in their minds a fresh and clear re- 
membrance of their ill-spent life. He will say unto them, 
Remember, remember, that in thy lifetime it was thus and 
thus with thee, and in thy lifetime thy carriage was so 
and so. 

If sinners might have their choice, they would not have 
their sins and transgressions so much in the remembrance, 
as is evident by their carriages here in this world : for they 
will not endure to entertain a serious thought of their filthy 
life; they put far away the evil day (Amos vi. 3; Ezek. 
xii. 27), and labor by all means to put the thoughts of it 
out of their mind; but there they shall be made to remem- 
ber to purpose, and to think continually of their ungodly 
deeds. And therefore it is said, that when our Lord Jesus 
Christ comes to judgment, it will be to convince the un- 
godly world of their wicked and ungodly deeds; mark, to 
convince them. Jude 14, 15. They will not willingly take 
notice of them now ; but then they shall, hereafter, in spite 
of their teeth; for those that die out of Christ, shall be 
made to see, acknowledge, and confess their guilt, do what 
they can, when they lift up their eyes in hell, and remem- 
ber their transgressions. God will be a swift witness against 
them (Mai. iii. 5) ; and will say, Remember what thou didst 
in thy lifetime ; how thou didst live in thy lifetime. Ha, 
friend ! If thou dost not in these days of light remember the 
days of darkness, Eccles. xi. 8, (the days of death, hell, and 
judgment), thou shalt be made in the days of darkness, 
death, hell, and at the judgment too, to remember the days 
of the gospel, and how thou didst disregard them too, to thy 

17 



198 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

own destruction and everlasting misery. This is intimated 
in the 25th chapter of St. Matthew. 

"Remember that in thy lifetime thou receivedst thy good 
things." 

The great God, instead of giving the ungodly any ease, 
will even aggravate their torments. First, by slighting their 
perplexities, and by telling them what they must be think- 
ing of. Remember, saith he, ye lost souls, that you had 
your joy in your lifetime; your peace in your lifetime; your 
comforts, delights, ease, health, wealth — your heaven, your 
happiness, and your portion in your lifetime. 

miserable state ! Thou wilt then be in a sad condition 
indeed, when thou shalt see that thou hast had thy good 
things, thy best things, thy pleasant things; for that is 
clearly signified by these words, " Remember that thou in 
thy lifetime hadst thy good things," or, all the good things 
that thou art likely to have. From whence take notice of 
another truth (though it be a dreadful one), which is this : 
There are many poor creatures who have all their good, 
sweet, and comfortable things, in this life, or while they are 
alive in this world: "Remember," saith he, "that in thy 
lifetime thou hadst thy good things." 

The wicked's good things will shortly have an end; they 
will last no longer with them than this life, or their lifetime. 
Psalm xvii. 14. That scripture was not written in vain : 
"As the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter 
of a fool : this also is vanity. Eccles. vii. 6. It is like the 
crackling of thorns under a pot — makes a little blaze for a 
sudden, a little heat for a while; but come and consider it 
by and by, and instead of a comfortable heat, you will find 
nothing but a few dead ashes; and instead of a flaming fire, 
nothing but a smell of smoke. 

There is a time coming, that the ungodly would be glad 
of a better portion, when they shall see the vanity of this, 
that is, when they shall see what a poor thing it is, for a 



WRETCHEDNESS OF THE SINNER* S PORTION. 199 

man to have his portion in this world. It is true, while 
they are here on this side hell, they think there is nothing 
to be compared with riches, honors, and pleasures in this 
world ; which makes them cry out, Who will show us any 
good? (Psalm iv. 7) that is, any comparable to the pleasures, 
profits, and glory of this world ? But then they will see there 
is another thing that is better and of more value than ten 
thousand worlds. And seriously, friends, will it not grieve 
you, trouble, perplex, and torment you, when you shall see 
that you lost heaven for a little pleasure and profit in your 
lifetime ? Certainly it will grieve you and perplex you ex- 
ceedingly, to see what a blessed heaven you lost for a dung- 
hill world. ! that you did but believe this ! that you did 
but consider this, and say within yourselves, What ! shall I 
be contented with my portion in this world ! What ! shall 
I lose heaven for this world ! I say, consider it while you 
have day-light, and gospel light, while the Son of Grod doth 
hold out terms of reconciliation to you ; lest you be made to 
hear such a voice as this is, " Son, remember, that in thy 
lifetime thou receivedst thy good things;" thy comforts, thy 
joys, thy ease, thy peace, and all the heaven thou art like 
to have. poor heaven ! short pleasures ! What a piti- 
ful thing it is to be left in such a case ! Soul, consider : Is 
it not miserable to lose heaven, for twenty, thirty, or forty 
years' sinning against G-od ? When thy life is done, thy 
heaven is also done. When death comes to separate thy 
soul and body, in that day also thou must have thy heaven 
and happiness separated from thee, and thou from that. 
Consider these things betimes, lest thou have thy portion in 
thy lifetime. For if in this life- only we have our portion, we 
are of all people the most miserable. 1 Cor. xv. 19. Again, 
consider, that when other men (the saints) a're to receive 
their good things, then thou hast had thine ! When others are 
to enter into joy, then thou art to leave and depart from thy 
joy ! When others are to go to G-od thou must go the devil ! 



200 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

miserable man ! Thou hadst better never been born, than 
to be an heir of such a portion; therefore, I say, have a care 
it be not thy condition. 

" Remember that thou receivedst thy good things, and 
Lazarus evil things." 

These words do not only hold forth the misery of the 
wicked in this life, but also great consolation to the saints; 
where he saith, "And Lazarus evil things," that is, Lazarus 
had his evil things in his lifetime, or when he was in the 
world, From whence observe, 

1. That the life of the saints, so long as they are in this 
world, is attended with many evils or afflictions : which may 
be discovered to be of divers natures; as saith the scriptures, 
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord deli- 
vereth him out of them all." Ps. xxxiv. 19. 

2. Take notice, that the afflictions or evils that accom- 
pany the saints, may continue with them their lifetime, so 
long as they live in this vale of tears; yea, and they may be 
diverse, that is, of several sorts; some outward, .some inward, 
and that as long as they shall continue here below, as hath 
been the experience of all saints in all ages. And this might 
be proved at large ; but I only hint at these things, though 

1 might enlarge much upon them. 

8. The evils that do accompany the saints will continue 
no longer with them than their lifetime. And here indeed 
lies the comfort of believers, the Lazaruses, the saints ; they 
must have all their bitter cup wrung out to them in their 
lifetime ; here must be all their trouble ; here must be all 
their grief. Behold, saith Christ, the world shall rejoice, 
but ye shall lament ; but your mourning— mark it, shall be 
turned into joy. John xvi. 20. You shall lament, you 
shall be sorrowful, you shall weep in your lifetime ; but your 
sorrow shall be turned into joy; and your joy no man (let 
him be what he will), no man shall take away from you. 

Now if you think, when I say the saints have all their evil 



THE CONSOLATION OF SAINTS. 201 

things in their lifetime, that I mean, they have nothing else 
but trouble in this their lifetime, this is your mistake ; for 
let me tell you, that though the saints have all their evil 
things in their lifetime, yet even in their lifetime they have 
also joy unspeakable and full of glory, while they look not 
at the things that are seen, but at the things which are not 
seen. The joy that the saints have sometimes in their heart, 
by a believing consideration of the good things to come when 
this life is ended, doth fill them fuller of joy, than all the 
crosses, troubles, temptations, and evils, that accompany 
them in this life, can fill them with grief. 2 Cor. iv. 

But some saints may say/My troubles are such as are 
ready to overcome me/ Answ. Yet be of good comfort, 
they shall last no longer than thy lifetime. 

' But my trouble is, I am perplexed with an heart full of 
corruption and sin, so that I am much hindered in walking 
with Grod/ Answ. It is likely so; but thou shalt have these 
troubles no longer than thy lifetime. 

'But I have a cross husband, and that is a great grief 
to me/ 

Well, but thou shalt be troubled with him no longer 
than thy lifetime; and therefore be not dismayed, be not 
discomforted; thou shalt have no trouble longer than this 
lifetime. 

Art thou troubled with cross children, cross relations, 
cross neighbors ? They shall trouble thee no longer than this 
lifetime. 

Art thou troubled with a cunning devil? with unbelief? 
Yea, let it be what it will (if thou be a believer), thou shalt 
take thy farewell of them all after thy lifetime is ended. 
excellent assurance ! Then " God shall wipe away all tears 
from your eyes ; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor 
crying, nor any more pain; for the former things are passed 
away." 

But now, on the contrary, if thou be not a right and 



202 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

sound believer, then, though thou shouldst live a thousand 
years in this world, and meet with sore afflictions every day ; 
yet these afflictions, be they ever so great and grievous, are 
nothing to that torment that will come upon thee, both in 
soul and body, after this life is ended. 

I say, be what thou wilt, if thou be found in unbelief, or 
under the first covenant, thou art sure to smart for it at the 
time when thou dost depart this world. But the thing to be 
lamented is, for all this is so sad a condition to be fallen 
into, yet poor souls are for the most part senseless of it; yea, 
so senseless (at some times) as though there was no such 
misery to come hereafter. Because the Lord doth not imme- 
diately strike with his sword, but doth bear long with his 
creatures, waiting that he might be gracious : therefore, I 
say, the hearts of the sons of men, are wholly set in there to 
do evil. Eccles. viii. 11. And that forbearance and goodness 
of G-od, that one would think should lead them to repentance, 
are abused to their ruin; the devil hardening them, by their 
continuing in sin, and by blinding their eyes, as to the end 
of G-od's forbearance towards them. Thus they are led away 
with a very hardened and senseless heart, even until they 
drop into eternal destruction. 

But, poor hearts, they must have a time in which they 
must be made sensible of their former behaviors, when 
the just judgments of the Lord shall flame about their ears ; 
insomuch that they, shall be made to cry out again with 
anguish, 'I am sorely tormented in this flame/ 

" But now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." 

As if he should say, Now hath Grod recompensed both 
Lazarus and you, according to what you sought after, while 
you were in the world. As for your part, you did neglect 
the precious mercy and goodness of God ; you did turn your 
back on the Son of Grod, that came into the world to save 
sinners; you made a mock of preaching the gospel; you 
were admonished over and over, to close in with the loving- 



men's future portion just. 203 

kindness of the Lord, in his Son Jesus Christ. The Lord 
let you live twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty years; all 
which time, you, instead of spending it to make your calling 
and election sure (2 Pet. i. 10) did spend it in making 
eternal damnation sure to your soul. And also Lazarus, 
in his lifetime did make it his business to accept of my grace 
and salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. When thou wast 
in the alehouse, he frequented the word preached; when 
thou wert jeering at goodness, he was sighing for the sins 
of the times; while thou wert swearing, he was praying. 
In a word, while thou wert making sure of eternal ruin, he 
by faith in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, was making 
sure of eternal salvation. Therefore, " now he is comforted, 
and thou art tormented." 

Here then you may see, that as the righteous shall not be 
always void of comfort and blessedness ; so neither shall the 
ungodly go always without their punishment. As sure as 
God is in heaven, it will be thus : they must have their 
several portions. And therefore you that are the saints of 
the Lord, follow on; be not dismayed, "Forasmuch as you 
know, that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Cor. 
xv. 58. Your portion is eternal glory. And you that are 
so loath now to close in with Jesus Christ, and to leave your 
sins to follow him, your day is coming (Psalm xxxvii. 13), 
in which you shall know, that your sweet morsels of sin that 
you so easily take down (Job xx. 12, 13, 14), and it scarce 
troubles you, will have a time so to work within you to your 
eternal ruin, that you will be in a worse condition than if 
you had ten thousand devils tormenting you. Nay, you had 
better have been plucked limb from limb a thousand times 
(if it could be), than to be partakers of this torment, which 
will assuredly, without mercy, lie upon you. 



CHAPTER IX. 

And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed : so that 

THEY WHICH WOULD PASS FROM HENCE TO YOU, CANNOT ; NEITHER CAN THEY PASS TO 
US, THAT WOULD COME FROM THENCE. — Terse 26. 

These words are still part of the answer that the souls in 
hell shall have for all the sobbings, sighings, grievous cries, 
tears, and desires that they have, to be released out of those 
intolerable pains they feel and are perplexed with. And, 
oh ! methinks the words at the first view, if rightly consi- 
dered, are enough to make any hard-hearted sinner in the 
world, to fall down dead. The verse I last spoke about was, 
and is, a very terrible one, and aggravates the torments of 
poor sinners wonderfully, where he saith, " Remember that 
thou in thy lifetime hadst thy good things, and Lazarus 
his evil things," &c. I say, the words are very terrible to 
those poor souls that die out of Christ. But these latter 
words do much more hold out their sorrow. They were 
spoken as to the present condition of the sinner. These do 
not only back the former, but do yet further aggravate their 
misery, holding forth that which will be more intolerable. 
The former verse is enough to smite any sinner into a 
swoon, but this to make them fall down dead, where he 
saith, " And besides all this," there is something to aggra- 
vate thy misery yet far more abundantly. I shall briefly 
speak to the words as they have relation to the terror spoken 
of in the verses before. As if he had said, Thou thinkest 
the present state unsupportable ; it makes thee sob and sigh ; 
it makes thee to rue the time that ever thou wert born ; now 
thou findest the want of mercy; now thou wouldst leap at 
the least dram of it ; now thou feelest what it is to slight 
the tenders of the grace of God ; now it makes thee to sob, 
(204) 



"BESIDES ALL TILTS." — ILLUSTRATION. 205 

sigh, and roar exceedingly, for the anguish that thou art in. 
" But besides all this," I have other things to tell thee of, 
that will break thine heart indeed. Thou art now deprived 
of a being in the world ; thou art deprived of hearing the 
gospel ; the devil hath been too hard for thee, and hath made 
thee miss of heaven ; thou art now in hell among an innu- 
merable company of devils and all thy sins beset thee round ; 
thou art all overwrapped in flames, and canst not have one 
drop of water to give thee any ease ; thou criest in vain, for 
nothing will be granted ; thou seest the saints in heaven, 
which is no small trouble to thy lost soul; thou seest 
that neither G-od nor Christ takes any care to ease thee, or 
speak any comfort unto thee. " But besides all this," there 
thou art like to lie. Never think of any ease, never look for 
any comfort; repentance now will do thee no good; the time 
is past, and can never be called again. Look ! what thou 
hast now, thou must have for ever. It is true, I spoke 
enough before to break thine heart asunder ; " but besides 
all this," there lie and swim in flames for ever. 

These words of Christ, "besides all this," are terrible 
words indeed. I will give you the scope of them in a 
similitude. Set the case, you should take a man and tie 
him to a stake, and with red hot pincers, pinch off his flesh 
by little pieces, for two or three years together; and at last, 
when the poor man cries for ease and help, the tormentors 
answer, Nay, " but besides all this," you must be handled 
much worse. We will serve you thus these twenty years 
together, and after that we will fill your mangled body full 
of scalding lead, or run you through with a red hot spit ; 
would not this be lamentable ? Yet this is but a flea-biting 
to the sorrow of those that go to hell ; for if a man were 
served so, there would, ere it were long, be an end of him. 
But he that goes to hell shall suffer ten thousand times 
worse torments than these, and yet shall never be quite dead 
under them. There they shall be ever whining, pining, 
18 



206 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

weeping, mourning ; ever tormented without ease, and yet 
never dissolved into nothing. If the biggest devil in hell 
might pull thee all to pieces, and rend thee as small as dust, 
and dissolve thee into nothing, thou wouldst count this a 
mercy. But here thou mayst lie and fry, scorch, and broil, 
and burn for ever. For ever, that is a long while, and yet it 
must be so long. " Depart from me," saith Christ, "into 
everlasting fire," into the fire that burns for ever, " prepared 
for the devil and his angels." Matt. xxv. 41. 

Oh ! thou that wast loath to foul thy foot if it were but 
dirty, or did but rain ; thou that wast loath to come out of 
the chimney corner, if the wind did but blow a little cold; 
and wast loath to go half a mile, yea, half a furlong, to hear 
the word of G-od, if it were but a little dark ; thou that wast 
loath to leave a few vain companions, to edify thy soul, thou 
shalt have fire enough, thou shalt have night enough, and 
evil company far more than enough, if thou miss of Jesus 
Christ ; " and besides all this," thou shalt have them for 
ever, and for ever. 

thou that dost spend whole nights in carding and dicing, 
in rioting and wantonness ; thou that countest it a brave 
thing to swear as fast as the bravest, to spend with the 
greatest spendthrift in the country; thou that lovest to sin 
in a corner when nobody sees thee ! thou that for by- 
ends dost carry on the hypocrite's profession, because thou 
wouldst be counted somebody among the children of G-od, 
but art an enemy to the things of Christ in thine heart ; 
thou that dost satisfy thyself, either with sins, or a bare pro- 
fession of godliness, thy soul will fall into extreme torments 
and anguish, so soon as ever thou dost depart this world, 
and there thou shalt be weeping and gnashing thy teeth. 
Matt. viii. 11, 12. And besides all this, thou art never like 
to have any ease or remedy. Never look for any deliver- 
ance. Thou shalt die in thy sins, and be tormented as many 



THE GllEAT GULE FIXED. 207 

years as there are stars in the firmament, or sands on the 
sea-shore ; and besides all this thon mnst abide it for ever. 

'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great 
gulf fixed : so that they which would pass from hence to 
you cannot; neither can they pass to us that would come 
from thence." " There is a great gulf fixed." You will 
say, What is that ? It is a nice question ; therefore first 
seek thou rather to enter in at the strait gate, than curiously 
to inquire what this gulf is. 

But, if thou wouldst needs know, if thou do fall short of 
heaven, thou wilt find it this, namely, the everlasting decree 
of God; that is, there is a decree gone forth from God, that 
those who fall short of heaven in this world, God is resolved 
they shall never enjoy it in the world to come. And thou 
wilt find this gulf so deep, that thou shalt never be able to 
wade through it as long as eternity lasts. As Christ saith, 
"Agree with thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the 
way with him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the 
judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into pri- 
son : I tell thee thou shalt in no wise come out thence :" 
(there is the gulf, the decree :) " Thou shalt not depart thence 
till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing," or " very last 
mite." Luke xii. 58, 59. These words, therefore, "there 
is a great gulf fixed," I understand to be the everlasting 
decree of God. God hath decreed, that those who go to 
heaven, shall never go from thence again into a worse place; 
and also that those that go to hell, and would come out, 
shall not come out from thence again. And, friend, this is 
such a gulf, so fixed by him that cannot lie, that thou wilt 
find it so, which way soever thou goest, whether it be to 
heaven or hell. Here therefore thou seest how secure God 
will make those who die in the faith : God will keep them 
in heaven; but those that die in their sins, God will throw 
them into hell, and keep them there; so that they that 
would go from heaven to hell cannot, neither can they come 



208 SIGHS FROM HELL, 

from hell that would go to heaven. Mark, he doth not say, 
they would not : for how fain would those who have lost 
their souls for a lust, for twopence, for a jug of ale, for a 
strumpet, for this world, come out of that hot scalding fiery 
furnace of God's eternal vengeance, if they might. But here 
is their misery. ' They that would come from you to us/ that 
is, ' from hell to heaven/ cannot ; they must not, they shall 
not. They cannot. G-od hath decreed it, and is resolved 
the contrary. Here therefore lies the misery; not so much 
that they are in hell, but that there they must lie for ever 
and ever. 

Therefore, if thy heart would at any time tempt thee to 
sin against G-od, cry out, No; for then I must go to hell, 
and lie there for ever. If the drunkards, swearers, liars, 
and hypocrites, did but take this doctrine soundly down, it 
would make them tremble when they think of sinning. Ah, 
poor souls, now they will make a mock of sin (Prov. xiv. 
9), and play with it as a child doth play with a rattle; but 
the time is coming, that these rattles that they now play 
with, will make such a noise in their ears and consciences, 
that they shall find that if all the devils in hell were yelling 
at their heels, the noise would not be comparable to it. 
Friend, thy sins, as so many bloodhounds, will first hunt 
thee out, and then take thee and bind thee, and hold thee 
down for ever. Numb, xxxii. 23; Prov. v. 22. They will 
gripe thee and gnaw thee as if thou hadst a nest of poison- 
ous serpents in thy bowels. Job xx. 14. And this will not 
be for a time ! but, as I have said, for ever, — for ever, — for 
ever I 



CHAPTER X. 



Then he said, i pray thee therefore, father, that thou ytouxdst send him to my 
father's house. — Verse 27. 



The verse before, I told you, was spoken partly to hold 
forth a desire that the damned have, to be freed of their 
endless misery. Now this verse still holds forth the cries 
of those poor souls as very vehement. They would very fain 
have something granted to them; but it will not be, as will 
more clearly appear afterward. 

"Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father," &c. As if 
he should say, Seeing I have brought myself into such a 
miserable condition, that G-od will not regard me, that my 
exceeding loud and bitter cries will not be heard for myself: 
seeing I must not be admitted to have so much as one drop 
of cold water, nor the least help from the poorest saints : 
and seeing, besides all this, here my soul must lie to all 
eternity, broiling and frying ; seeing I must, whether I will 
or no, undergo the hand of eternal vengeance, and the re- 
bukes of devouring fire; seeing my state is such, that I 
would not wish a dog in my condition; " send him to my 
father's house." It is worthy to be taken notice of (again) 
who it is he desired to be sent, namely, Lazarus. friend, 
see here how the stout hearts and stomachs of poor creatures 
will be humbled. As I said before, they will be so brought 
down, that those things that they disdained and made light 
of in this world, they would be glad of in the life to come. 
Lazurus by this man was so slighted once, that he thought it 
a dishonor that he should eat with the dogs of his flock. 
1 What, shall I regard Lazarus, scrubbed, beggarly Lazarus ? 
What, shall I so far dishonor my fair, sumptuous, and gay 

18* (209) 



210 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

house, with such a scabbed creep-hedge as he ? No, I scorn 
he should be entertained under my roof/ Thus in his life- 
time, while he was in his bravery; but now he is come into 
another world; now he is parted from his pleasures; now he 
sees his fine house, his dainty dishes, his rich neighbors and 
companions and he are parted asunder; now he finds, in- 
stead of pleasures, torments; instead of joys, heaviness; in- 
stead of heaven, hell; instead of the pleasures of sin, the 
horror and guilt of sin : now, send Lazarus ! 

Lazarus, it may be, might have done him some good, if 
he might have been entertained in time past, and might 
have persuaded him at least not to have gone on so griev- 
ously wicked; but he slights him, will not regard him; he 
is resolved to disown him, though he lose his own soul for 
so doing. 'Ay, but now send Lazarus, if not to me, to my 
father's house, and let him tell them, from me, that if they 
run on in sin, as I have done, they must, and shall receive 
the same wages, that I have received/ 

Take notice of this, you that are despisers of the least of 
the Lazaruses of our Lord Jesus Christ. It may be now you 
are loath to receive these little ones of his, because they are 
not gentlemen; because they cannot, with Pontius Pilate, 
speak Hebrew, G-reek, and Latin. Nay, they must not 
speak to them, to admonish them; and all because of this. 
Though now the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ may be 
preached to them freely, and for nothing; nay, they are now 
desired to hear and receive it; though now they will not 
own, regard, and embrace these Christian proffers of the 
glorious truth of Jesus, because they come out of some of 
the basest earthen vessels (1 Cor. i. 26) ; yet the time is 
coming, when they will both sigh and cry, "Send him to 
my father's house.' ' I say, remember this, ye that despise 
the day of small things; the time is coming when you 
would be glad if you might enjoy from G-od, from Christ, or 
his saints, one small drop of cold water, though now you are 



WICKED RELATIONS WARNED. 211 

unwilling to receive the glorious distilling drops of the gos- 
pel of our Lord Jesus. 

Again, see here the lamentable state they are in, that go 
to hell, from their fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, &c. 
While they are in this world, men delight to set their child- 
ren ill examples ; and also children love to follow the wicked 
steps of their ungodly parents. But when they depart this 
life, and drop down into hell, and find themselves in irre- 
coverable misery, then they cry, 'Send somebody to my 
father's house, to my brother's house. Tell them my state 
is miserable; tell them I am undone for ever; and tell 
them also, that if they will be walking in these ungodly 
steps wherein I left them, they will assuredly fall into this 
place of torments.' 

"I pray thee, send him to my father's house." Ah! 
friends and neighbors, it is likely you little think of this, 
that some of your friends and relations are crying out in hell, 
Lord, send somebody to my father's house, to preach the 
gospel to them, lest they also come into these torments. 

Here men, while they live, can willingly walk together 
in the way of sin ; and when they are parted by death, they 
that are living seldom or never consider the sad condition 
that they that are dead are descended into. But ye ungodly 
fathers, how are your ungodly children roaring now in hell ! 
and your ungodly parents that lived and died ungodly, now 
also in the pains of hell ! And one drunkard is singing on 
the alehouse bench, and another roaring under the wrath of 
God, saying/ that I was with him! how would I rebuke 
him, and persuade him by all means to leave off those evil 
courses ! that they did but consider what I now suffer for 
pride, covetousness, drunkenness, lying, swearing, stealing, 
whoring, and the like ! Oh ! did they but feel the thou- 
sandth part thereof, it would make them look about them, 
and not buy sin at so dear a rate as I have done; even with 
the loss of my precious soul V 



212 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

"Send hiin to my father's Tiouse" 'Not, to my father, 
but to my father's house. It may be, there are ungodly 
children, there are ungodly servants, wallowing in their un- 
godliness; send him therefore to my father's house. It is 
likely, they are still the same that I left them. I left them 
wicked, and they are wicked still ; I left them slighters of 
the gospel, saints, and ways of God, and they do it still. 
"Send him to my father's house:" it is likely there is but 
a little between them and the place where I am. Send 
him to-day, before to-morrow, "lest they come into the 
same place of torment." I pray thee thou wouldst send 
him. I beg it on my bended knee, with crying and tears, 
in the agony of my soul. It may be they will not consider, 
if thou do not send him. I left them sottish enough ; hard- 
ened as well as I. They have the same devil to tempt 
them, the same lusts and world to overcome them : " I pray 
thee therefore that thou wouldst send him to my father's 
house;" make no delay lest they lose their souls; lest they 
come hither : if they do, they are likely never to return 
again. Oh ! little do they think, how easily they may lose 
their souls. They are apt to think their condition to be as 
good as the best, as I once through ignorance did; but send 
him, send him — send him without delay, "lest they come 
into this place of torment." that thou, Lord, wouldst give 
him commission; do thou send him thyself. The time was, 
when I, together with them, slighted those that were sent 
of God ; though we could not deny but that they spake the 
word of God, and were sent of him, as our conscience told 
us ; yet we preferred the calls of men before the calls of 
God : for though they had the one, yet because they had 
not the other in that antichristian way which we thought 
meet, we could not, would not, either hear them ourselves, 
nor yet give our consent that others should. But now a 
call from God is worth all. Do thou therefore send him to 
my father's house/ 



LANGUAGE OF A LOST SOUL. 213 

1 The time was when we did not like it, except it might be 
preached in the synagogue. We thought it a low thing to 
preach and pray together in houses; we were too high- 
spirited, too superstitious ; the gospel would not down with 
us, unless we had it in such a place, by such a man ; no, 
nor then neither effectually. But now, that I was to live 
in the world again, and might have that privilege, to have 
some acquaintance with blessed Lazarus, some familiarity 
with that holy man ! What attendance would I give unto 
his wholesome words ! How would I affect his doctrine, and 
close in with it ! How would I square my life thereby ! 
Now, therefore, as it is better to hear the gospel under a 
hedge, than to sit roaring in a tavern, so it is better to welcome 
G-od's begging Lazaruses, than the wicked companions of 
this world. It is better to receive a saint in the name of a 
saint, a disciple in the name of a disciple (Luke x. 16), 
than to do as I have done. Oh ! it is better to receive a 
child of Grod, that can by experience deliver the things of 
G-od, his free love, his tender grace, his rich forbearance, 
and also the misery of man if without it, than to be daubed 
up with untempered mortar. Ezek. xiii. 10. Oh ! I may curse 
the day that ever I gave way to the flatteries and fawning 
of a company of carnal men ! But this my repentance is too 
late ; I should have looked about me sooner, if I would have 
been saved from this woful place. Therefore send him, not 
only to the town I lived in, and unto some of my acquaint- 
ance, but to my father's house. 

' In my lifetime, I did not care to hear that word that cut 
me most, and showed me my state aright. I was vexed 
to hear my sins mentioned, and laid to my charge; I loved 
him best that deceived me most; that said, Peace, peace, 
when there was no such thing. Jer. vi. 14. But now, 
that I had been soundly told of it ! that it had pierced 
both mine ears and heart, and had stuck so fast, that nothing 
could have cured me, saving the blood of Christ! It is 



214 



SIGHS FROM HELL. 



better to be dealt plainly with, than that we should be de- 
ceived; they had better see their lost condition in the 
world, than stay while they be damned, as I have done. 
Therefore send Lazarus; send him to my father's house. 
Let him go and say, I saw your son, your brother, in hell, 
weeping, and wailing, and gnashing his teeth. Let him 
bear them -down in it, and tell them plainly, it is so, and 
that they shall see their everlasting misery, if they have not 
a special care. Send him to my father's house.' 



CHAPTER XI 



FOR I HATE FIVE BRETHREN*; THAT HE MAT TESTIFT UNTO THEM, LEST THET ALSO COMB 
INTO THIS PLACE OF TORMENT. — Verse 28. 



These words are (if I may so say) a reason given by 
those in hell, why they are restless and do cry so loud : it is 
that their companions might be delivered from those intolera- 
ble torments, which they must and shall undergo, if they 
fall short of everlasting life by Jesus Christ. -- Send him 
to my father's house; for I have five brethren." Though 
while they lived among them in the world, they were not 
60 sensible of their ruin ; yet now they are passed out of the 
world, and do partake of that which before they were warned 
of, they can, I say, there cry out, Now I find that to be 
true indeed, which was once and again told, and declared to 
me, that it would certainly come to pass. 

•• For I have five brethren." Here you may see that 
there may be, and are, whole households in a damnable state 
and condition, as our Lord Jesus doth by this signify. - Send 
him to my father's house, for they are all in one state ; I 
left all my brethren in a pitiful state/ People while they 
live here, cannot endure to hear that they should be all in a 



WHY THE DAMNED DO NOT DESIRE COMPANY. 215 

miserable condition ; but when they are under the wrath of 
God, they see it, they know it, and are very sure of it : for 
they themselves, when they were in the world, lived as 
the others do, but they fell short of heaven ; and therefore 
if the others go on, so shall they. Oh ! therefore send 
quickly to my father's house, for all the house is in an 
undone condition, and must be damned if they continue so. 

The thing observable is this, namely, That those that are 
in hell , do not desire that their companions should come 
thither. Nay rather, saith he, ' Send him to my father's 
house, and let him testify to them that are therein, lest they 
also come into this place of torment/ 

Quest. But some may say, What is the reason that the 
damned should desire not to have their companions come 
into the same condition that they are fallen into, but rather 
that they might be kept from it, and escape that dreadful 
state ? 

Ansio. I do believe there is scarce so much love in any of 
the damned in hell, as really to desire the salvation of any. 
But in that there is any desire in them that are damned, 
that their friends and relations should not come into that 
place of torment, it appears to me, to be rather for their own 
ease, than for their neighbor's good; for let me tell you, 
this I do believe, that it will aggravate the grief and horror 
of them, to see their ungodly neighbors in the like destruc- 
tion with them. For where the ungodly do live and die, 
and descend into the pit together, the one is rather a vexa- 
tion to the other, than any thing else. 

And it must needs be so, because there are no ungodly 
people that do live ungodly together, but they do learn ill 
examples one of another, as thus : If there live one in the 
town that is very expert and cunning for the world, why 
now, the rest that are of the same mind with him, they will 
labor to imitate and follow his steps : this is commonly seen. 
Again, If there be one given to drunkenness, others of the 



216 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

town, through his means, run the more into that sin with 
him, and do accustom themselves the more unto it, because 
of his enticing them, and also by setting such an ill example 
before them. And so, if there be any addicted to pride, and 
must needs be in all the newest fashions, how doth their 
example provoke others to love and follow the same vanity ! 
spending that upon their lusts, which should relieve their 
own and others' wants. Also, if there be any given to jest- 
ing, scoffing, lying, whoring, backbiting, junketing, wanton- 
ness, or any other sin ; they that are most expert in these 
things, do ofttimes entangle others, that peradventure would 
not have been so vile as now they are, had they not had 
such an example ; and hence they are called corrupters. 
Isa. i. 4. 

Now these will by their doings exceedingly aggravate the 
condemnation of one another. He that did set his neighbor 
an ill example, and thereby caused him to walk in sin, he 
will be found one cause of his friend's destruction, insomuch 
that he will have to answer for his own sin, and for a great 
part of his neighbor's too, which will add to his destruction; 
as the scripture in Ezekiel showeth, where, speaking of the 
watchman that should give the people warning, if he do not, 
though the man did die in his sins, yet his blood shall be 
required at the watchman's hand. 

So here let me tell thee that if thou shouldst be such an 
one, as by thy conversation and practices shall be a trap and 
a stumbling-block, to cause thy neighbor to fall into eternal 
ruin ; though he be damned for his own sin, yet G-od may, 
nay he will, charge thee as being guilty of his blood, in that 
thou didst not content thyself to keep from heaven thyself, 
but didst also by thy filthy conversation keep away others, 
and cause them to fall with thee. therefore, will not this 
aggravate thy torment ? Yea, if thou shouldst die and go 
to hell before thy neighbors or companions, besides the guilt 
of thine own sins, thou wouldst be so loaden with the fear 



SINNERS MUTUAL TORMENTORS IN HELL. 217 

of the damnation of others to be laid to thy charge, that 
thou wouldst cry out, ' send one from the dead to this 
companion, and that companion, with whom I had society 
in my lifetime, for I see my cursed carriage will be one 
cause of his condemnation, if he fall short of glory ! I left 
him living in foul and heinous offences ; but I was one of 
the first instruments to bring him to them. Oh ! I shall be 
guilty both of my own aDd his damnation too ! O that he 
might be kept out hence, lest my torment be aggravated by 
his coming hither V 

For where ungodly people do dwell together, they being 
a snare and stumbling-block one to another by their practice, 
they must be a torment one to another and an aggravation 
of each other's damnation. £ cursed be thy face, saith 
one, that ever I set mine eyes on thee ; it was all of thee ; I 
may thank thee ; it was thee that did entice me, and ensnare 
me ; it was your filthy conversation that was a stumbling- 
block to me ; it was your covetousness, it was your pride, 
your haunting the alehouse, your gaming and whoring ; it 
was all of you that I fell short of life ! If you had set me 
a good example as you set me an ill one, it may be I might 
have done better than now I do ; but I learned of you, I 
followed your steps, I took counsel of you. O that I had 
never seen your face ! that thou hadst never been born 
to do my soul this wrong, as you have done !' l Oh ! saith 
the other, and I may as much blame you; for do you not 
remember how at such a time, and at such a time, you drew 
me out and drew me away, and asked me if I would go with 
you, when I was going about other business, about my call- 
ing; but you called me away, you sent for me, you are as 
much in the fault as I. Though I were covetous, you were 
proud; and if you learned covetousness of me, I learned 
pride and drunkenness of you. Though I taught you to 
cheat, you taught me to whore, to lie, to scoff at goodness. 
Though I, base wretch, did stumble you in some things, you 

19 



218 SIGHS PROM HELL. 

did as much stumble me in others. I can blame you, as you 
blame me ; and if I have to answer for some of your most 
filthy actions, you have to answer for some of mine. I would 
you had not come hither ; the very looks of you do wound 
my soul, by bringing my sins afresh into my mind, the time 
when, the manner how, the place where, the persons with 
whom. It was with you, you ! Grief to my soul ! Since I 
could not shun your company there, that I had been 
without your company here !' 

I say therefore, for those that have sinned together, to go 
to hell together, it will very much perplex and torment 
them both; therefore, I judge this, one reason why they that 
are in hell do desire that their companions or friends do not 
come thither into the same place of torment that they are in. 
And, therefore, where Christ saith that the damned souls 
cry out, ' Send to our companions, that they may be warned 
and commanded to look to themselves j send to my five 
brethren V it is because they would not have their own tor- 
ments heightened by their company; and a sense, yea, a 
continual sense of their sins, which they caused them to 
commit when they were in the world with them. For I do 
believe, that the very looks of those that have been beguiled 
of their fellows, I say, their very looks will be a torment to 
them ; for thereby will the remembrance of their own sins 
which they committed with them, be kept (if possible) the 
fresher on their consciences ; and also, they will wonderfully 
have the guilt of the other's sins upon them, in that they 
were partly the cause of his committing them, being instru- 
ments in the hands of the devil, to draw them in too. And, 
therefore, 'lest this come to pass, " I pray thee, send him to 
my father's house." For if they might not come hither, 
peradventure my torment might have some mitigation ; that 
is, if they might be saved, then their sins will be pardoned, 
and not so heavily charged on my soul. But if they do fall 
into the same place where I am, the sins that I have caused 



WARNING TO RINGLEADERS IN SIN. 219 

them to commit, will lie so heavy, not only on their soul, but 
also on mine, that they will sink me into eternal misery, 
deeper and deeper. "0, therefore, send him to my father's 
house, to my five brethren ; and let him testify to them, lest 
they come into this place of torment." ' 

These words being thus understood, what a condition doth 
it show them to be in then, that now much delight in being 
the very ringleaders of their companions into sins of all 
sorts whatsoever. 

While men live here, if they can be counted the cunning- 
est in cheating, the boldest for lying, the archest for whor- 
ing, the subtlest for coveting and getting the world; if they 
can but cunningly defraud, undermine, cross, and anger 
their neighbors, yea, and hinder them from the means of 
grace, the gospel of Christ ; they glory in it, take a pride in 
it, and think themselves pretty well at ease, and their minds 
are somewhat quiet, being beguiled with sin. 

But, friend, when thou hast lost this life, and dost begin 
to lift up thine eyes in hell, and seest what thy sins have 
brought thee to; and not only so, but that thou (devil-like) 
by thy filthy sins didst cause others to fall into the same 
condemnation with thee; and that one of the reasons of 
their damnation was this, that thou didst lead them to the 
commission of those wicked practices of this world, and the 
lusts thereef ; then, '0 that somebody would stop them from 
coming, lest they also come into this place of torment, and 
be damned as I am ! How will it torment me !' Balaam 
could not be contented to be damned himself, but also he 
must by his wickedness cause others to stumble and fall. 
The Scribes and Pharisees could not be content to keep out 
of heaven themselves, but they must labor to keep out others 
too. Therefore theirs is the greater damnation. 

The deceived cannot be content to be deceived himself; 
but he must labor to deceive others also. The drunkard 
cannot be content to go to hell for his sins, but he must 



220 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

labor to cause others to fall into the same furnace with him. 
But look to yourselves, for here will be damnation upon 
damnation; damned for thine own sins, and damned for thy 
being partaker with others in their sins, and damned for 
being guilty of the damnation of others. Oh ! how will the 
drunkards cry, for leading their neighbors into drunkenness ! 
How will the covetous person howl for setting his neighbor, 
his friend, his brother, his children and relations, so wicked 
an example, by which he hath not only wronged his own 
soul, but also the souls of others! The liar, by lying, 
learned others to lie; the swearer learned others to swear; the 
whoremonger learned others to whore. Now all these, with 
others of the like sort, will be guilty, not only of their own 
damnation, but of others. I tell you, that some men have 
been so much the authors of the damnation of others, that I 
am ready to think that the damnation of them, will trouble 
them as much as their own damnation. 

Some men, it is to be feared, at the day of judgment, will 
be found to be the authors of destroying whole nations. 
How many souls, do you think, Balaam with his deceit, 
will have to answer for? How many, Mahomet ? How many, 
the Pharisees, that hired the soldiers to say the disciples 
stole away Jesus? (Matt, xxviii. 11-15), and by that means 
stumbled their brethren to this day. This was one means of 
binding them from believing the things of God and Jesus 
Christ, and so the cause of the damnation of their brethren 
to this very day. 

How many poor souls hath Bonner to answer for, think 
you? and other filthy, blind priests? How many souls 
have they been the means of destroying by their ignorance 
and corrupt doctrine; preaching what was no better for men's 
souls, than ratsbane to the body, for filthy lucre's sake? 
They shall see, many of them, it is to be feared, that they 
will have whole towns to answer for, whole cities to answer 
for! 



MISERY OF SOUL-DESTROYERS. 221 

Ah, friend, I tell thee, thou that hast taken in hand to 
preach to the people, it may thou hast taken in hand, thou 
canst not tell what. Will it not grieve thee, to see thy 
whole parish come bellowing after thee to hell, crying out, 
1 This we may thank thee for; this is all of thee ; thou didst 
not teach us the truth ; thou didst lead us away with fables ; 
thou wast afraid to tell us of our sins, lest we should not 
put meat fast enough into thy mouth. cursed wretch, 
that ever thou shouldst beguile us thus, deceive us thus, flatter 
us thus ! We would have gone out to hear the word abroad, 
but that thou didst reprove us, and also tell us that which 
we see now is the way of God was heresy, and a deceivable 
doctrine ; and was not contented (blind guide as thou wert) 
to fall into the ditch thyself, but hast also led us thither 
with thee. 

I say, look to thyself, lest thou cry out when it is too late, 
Send Lazarus to my people, my friends, my children, my 
congregation to whom I preached, and beguiled through my 
folly. Send him to the town in which I did preach last, 
lest I be the cause of their damnation. Send him to my 
friends from whence I came, lest I be made to answer for 
their souls and mine own too. Ezek. xxxiii. 1-8. send 
him, therefore, and let him tell them, and testify unto them, 
lest they also come into this place of torment. 

Consider ye that live thus in the world, while you are in 
the land of the living, lest you fall into this condition. Set 
the case, that thou shouldst by thy carriage destroy but a soul, 
but one poor soul, by one of thy carriages or actions, by thy 
sinful works; consider it now I say, lest thou be forced to 
cry, "I pray thee therefore, that thou wouldst send him to 
my father's house, for I have five brethren; that he may 
testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of 
torment." 

If so, then I shall not only say to the blind guides, look 
you to yourselves, and shut not out others. No ; but this 



222 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

doth reach not only unto all those that do keep souls from 
heaven by preaching, and the like, but speaks forth the doom 
of those that shall any ways be instrumental to hinder 
others from closing in with Jesus Christ. what red lines 
will there be against all those rich, ungodly landlords, that 
so keep under their poor tenants, that they dare not go out 
to hear the word, for fear their rent should be raised, or 
they turned out of their houses ! What sayst thou, land- 
lord ? Will it not cut thy soul when thou shalt see that 
thou couldst not be content to miss of heaven thyself, but 
thou must labor to hinder others also? Will it not give 
thee an eternal wound in thy heart, both at death and judg- 
ment, to be accused of the ruin of thy neighbor's soul, thy 
servant's soul, thy wife's soul, together with the ruin of thy 
own ? Think on this, you drunken, proud, rich, and scorn- 
ful landlords; think on this, mad-brained, blasphemous 
husbands, that are against the godly and chaste conversation 
of your wives; also you that hold your servants so hard to 
it, that you will not spare them time to hear the word, un- 
less it be where, and when your lusts will let you. If you 
love your own souls, your tenants' souls, your wives' souls, 
your servants' souls, your children's souls; if you would 
not cry, if you would not howl, if you would not bear the 
burden of the ruin of others for ever; then I beseech you 
consider this doleful story, and labor to avoid the soul-kill- 
ing torment that this poor wretch groaneth under, when he 
saith, "I pray thee therefore, that thou wouldst send him to 
my father's house." 

"For I have five brethren; that he may testify," mark, 
"that he may testify, unto them, lest they also come into 
this place of torment." 

These words have still something more in them than I 
have yet observed from them. There are one or two things 
more that I shall briefly touch upon; and therefore mark; 
he saith, "that he may testify unto them," &c. Mark, I 



THE TRUTH MUST BE TESTIFIED. 223 

pray you, and take notice of the word, testify. He doth not 
say, and let him go unto them, or speak with, or tell them 
such and such things : No ; but, let him testify, or affirm it 
constantly, in case any should oppose it. Let him testify 
unto them. It is the same word the scripture uses to set 
forth the vehemency of Christ in telling his disciples of him 
that should betray him, "And he testified, saying, One of 
you shall betray me." And he testified; that is, he spake 
it so as to dash or overcome any that should have said, It 
shall not be. It is a word that signifies, that in case any 
should oppose the thing spoken of, yet that the party speak- 
ing should still continue constant in his saying. "And he 
commanded us," says Peter, "to preach, and to testify, that 
it is he that was ordained of God to be the judge of quick 
and dead." Acts x. 42. To testify; mark, that is, to be 
constant, irresistible, undaunted, in case it should be op- 
posed and objected against. So here, let him "testify to 
them, lest they come into this place of torment." 

From whence observe, that it is not an easy matter to 
persuade them who are in their sins alive in this world, that 
they must and shall be damned, if they turn not and be 
converted to God. "Let him testify to them;" let him 
speak confidently, though they frown upon him, or dislike 
his way of speaking. And how is this truth verified and 
cleared by the carriage of almost all men now in the world 
toward them that do preach the gospel, and show their own 
miserable state plainly to them, if they close not with it ! 
If a man do but indeed labor to convince sinners of their 
sins, and lost condition by nature, though they must be 
damned if they live and die in that condition, how angry 
are they at it! 'Look how he judges/ say they. 'Hark how 
he condemns us. He tells us we must be damned if we live 
and die in this state. We are offended at him; we cannot 
abide to hear him, or any such as he; we will believe none 
of them all, but go on in the way we are going.' "Forbear, 



224 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

why shouldst thou be smitten ?" said the ungodly king to 
the prophet, when he told him of his sins. 2 Chron. xxv. 
15, 16. 

I say, tell the drunkard he must be damned if he leaves 
not his drunkenness; the swearer, liar, cheater, thief, covet- 
ous, railer, or any ungodly persons, they must and shall lie 
in hell for it, if they die in this condition; they will not 
believe you, nor credit you. 

Again, tell others that there are many in hell that have 
lived and died in their conditions, and so are they likely to 
be, if they convert not to Jesus Christ, and be found in 
him; or that there are others that are more civil and sober 
men, who (although we know that their civility will not 
save them) if we do but tell them plainly of the emptiness 
and unprofitableness of that, as to the saving of their souls, 
and that God will not accept them, nor love them, notwith- 
standing these things, and that if they intend to be saved, 
they must be better provided than with such righteousness as 
this ; they will either fling away, and come to hear no more, 
or else if they do come, they will bring such prejudice with 
them in their hearts, that the word preached shall not profit 
them; it being mixed not with faith, but with prejudice, in 
them that hear it. Heb. iv. 1, 2. Nay, they will some of 
them be so full of anger, that they will break out and call 
even those who speak the truth, heretics; yea, and kill 
them. Luke iv. 26-29. And why so? Because they tell 
them, that if they live in their sins, that will damn them ; 
yet if they turn and live a righteous life, according to the 
holy, and just, and good law of G-od, that will not save 
them. Yea, because we tell them plainly, that unless they 
leave their sins and unrighteousness too, and close in with a 
naked Jesus Christ, his blood and merits, and what he hath 
done, and is now doing for sinners, they cannot be saved; 
and unless they do eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink 
his blood, they have no life abiding in them; they gravel 



THE PREACHER'S DUTY. 225 

presently, and are offended at it, (as the Jews were with 
Christ for speaking the same thing to them, John vi. 53, 60) 
and fling away themselves, their souls and all, by quarrelling 
against the doctrine of the Son of God ; as indeed they do, 
though they will not believe they do. And therefore he 
that is a preacher of the word had need, not only tell them, 
but testify to them, again and again, that their sins, if they 
continue in them, will damn them and damn them again; 
and tell them again, their living honestly according to the 
law, their paying every one their own, their living quietly 
with their neighbors, their giving to the poor, their notion 
of the gospel, and saying, they do believe in Christ, will do 
them no good at the general day of judgment. Ha, friends! 
how many of you are there at this very day, that have been 
told once and again of your lost, undone condition, because 
you want the right, real, and saving work of God upon your 
souls? I say, hath not this been told you, yea, testified 
unto you from time to time, that your state is miserable, 
that yet you are never the better, but do still stand where 
you did ; some in an open ungodly life, and some drowned 
in a self-conceited holiness of Christianity ? Therefore, for 
God's sake, if you love your souls, consider; and beg of 
God for Jesus Christ's sake, that he would work such a work 
of grace in your hearts, and give you such a faith in his 
Son Jesus Christ, that you may not only have rest here, as 
you think; not only think your state safe while you live 
here, but that you may be safe indeed; not only here, but 
also when you are gone ; lest you do cry in the anguish and 
perplexity of your souls, Send one to my companions that 
have been beguiled by Satan, as I have been, and so by 
going on, come into this place of torment, as I have done. 

Again, one thing more is to be observed from these 
words, " Let them testify to them, lest they come into this 
place of torment.'" 

Mark, " lest they come into :" as if he had said, Or else 



226 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

they will come into this place of torment, as sure as I am 
here. From whence observe, that though some souls do, 
for sin, fall into the bottomless pit before their fellows, 
because they depart from this world before them, yet the 
other abiding in the same course, are as sure to go to the 
same place, as if they were there already. How so ? Be- 
cause that all are condemned together ; they have all fallen 
under the same law, and have all offended the same justice ; 
and must for certain, if they die in that condition, drink as 
deep, if not deeper, of the same destruction. 

Mark, I pray you, what the scripture says, " He that be- 
lieveth not is condemned already. John iii. 18. He is con- 
demned as well as they; having broken the same law with 
them. If so, then what hinders but they will partake of the 
game destruction with them ? Only the one hath not the 
law yet so executed upon them, because they are here ; the 
other have had the law executed upon them : they are gone 
to drink that which they have been brewing, and thou art 
brewing that in this life, which thou must certainly drink. 
The same law, I say, is in force against you both ; only he 
is executed, and thou art not. Just as if there were a com- 
pany of prisoners at the bar, and all condemned to die : what, 
because they are not all executed in one day, therefore shall 
they not be executed at all ? Yes, the same law that exe- 
cuted its severity upon the parties now deceased, will, for 
certain, be executed upon them that are alive, in its ap- 
pointed time. Even so it is here ) we are all condemned by 
nature ; if we close not in with the grace of God by Jesus 
Christ, we must, and shall be destroyed with the same 
destruction; and, therefore, " Send him/' saith he, "lest," 
mark, " lest they come into this place of torment." 

Again, " Send him to my father's house, and let him tes- 
tify to them, lest they come into this place of torment." As 
if he had said, It may be he may prevail with them ; it may 
be he may win upon them, and so they may be kept from 



NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION. 227 

hence, from coming into this grievous place of torment. 
Observe again, that there is a possibility of obtaining mercy, 
if now, I say, now, in this day of grace we turn from our 
sins to Jesus Christ; yea, it is more than possible. And 
therefore, for thy encouragement, do thou know for certain, 
that if thou shalt in this thy day accept of mercy upon God's 
own terms, and close with him effectually, God hath pro- 
mised, yea, made many promises, that thy soul shall be con- 
ducted safe to glory, and shall, for certain, escape all the 
evils that I have told thee of; ay, and many more than I 
can imagine. Do but search the scriptures, and see how full 
of consolation they are to a poor soul that is minded to close 
in with Jesus Christ. " Him that cometh to me," saith 
Christ," " I will in no wise cast out." Though he be an 
old sinner, I will in no wise cast him out ; mark, " in no 
wise ;" though he be a great sinner, I will in no wise cast 
him out, if he comes unto me. Though he has slighted me 
ever so many times, and not regarded the welfare of his own 
soul, yet, let him now come unto me, and notwithstanding 
this, I will in no wise cast him out, nor throw away his 
soul. John vi. 37. Again, saith the apostle, " Now," 
(mark), " Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salva- 
tion." Now here is mercy in good store; now God's heart 
is open to sinners ; now he will make you welcome ; now he 
will receive any body if they do but come to Christ. " He 
that cometh to me," saith Christ, "I will in no wise cast 
out." And why? Because "now is the accepted time, 
now is the day of salvation. 2 Cor. vi. 2. As if the apostle 
had said, If you will have mercy, have it now; receive it 
now, close in with it now. 

God hath a certain day to hold out his grace to sinners : 
now is the time, now is the day. It is true, there is a day 
of damnation, but this is a day of salvation. There is a 
day coming, wherein sinners must cry to the mountains to 
fall on them, to the hills to cover them from the wrath of 



228 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

God ; but now, now is the day in which he doth hold out 
his grace. There is a day coming, in which you will not be 
admitted to have the privilege of one drop of water to cool 
your tongue, if now, I say, if now you slight his grace and 
goodness which he holds out to you. Ah ! friends, consider 
there are now hopes of mercy, but then there will not be; 
now Christ holds forth mercy unto you, but then he will not. 
Matt. vii. 23. Now there are his servants that beseech you 
to accept of his grace ; but if thou lose the opportunity that 
is put into thine hand, thou thyself mayst beseech hereafter, 
and no mercy be given thee. " And he cried, and said, 
Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus 
that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my 
tongue;" and there was none given. Therefore, let it never 
be said of thee, as it will be said of some, Why is there a 
price put into the hand of a fool, seeing he hath no heart to 
it; seeing he hath no heart to make a good use of it? 
Prov. xvii. 16. Consider therefore, with thyself, and say, 
It is better going to heaven than to hell; it is better to be 
saved than damned ; it is better to be with saints than with 
damned souls ; and to go to God is better than to go to the 
devil. 

Therefore, u seek the Lord while he may be found, and 
call upon him while he is near" (Isa. lv. 6) ; lest in thy 
trouble he leave thee to thyself, and say unto thee plainly, 
" Where I am, thither ye cannot come." 

Oh ! if they that are in hell might but now again have 
one such invitation as this, how would they leap for joy ! 
I have thought sometimes, should God send but one of his 
ministers to the damned in hell, and give him commission 
to preach the free love of God in Christ extended to them, 
and held out to them, if now, while it is proffered to them, 
they will accept of his kindness ; how welcome would they 
make his news, and close in with it on any terms ! 

Certainly they would say, ' We will accept of grace on 



APPLICATION. 229 

any terms in the world, and thank you too, though it cost 
life and limbs to boot ; we will spare no cost nor charge, 
if mercy may be had.' But, poor souls, while they live 
here, they will not part from sin, from hell-bred, devilish 
sin : no, they will rather lose their souls than lose their 
filthy sins. 

But, friend, thou wilt change thy note before it be long, 
and cry, ' simple wretch that I am, that I should damn 
my soul by sin ! It is true, I have had the gospel preached 
to me, and have been invited in. I have been preached to, 
and have been warned of this; but "How have I hated 
instruction, and my heart despised reproof; and have not 
obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to 
them that instructed me." ' Prov. v. 12, 13. therefore, I 
say, poor soul ! is there now hope ? Then lay thy hand upon 
thy mouth, and kiss the dust, and close in with the Lord 
Jesus Christ, and make much of his glorious mercy; and 
invite also thy companions to close in with the same Lord 
Jesus Christ, lest one of you do go to hell beforehand, and 
expect, with grief of heart, your companions to come after ; 
and, in the mean time, with anguish of heart, do sigh and 
say, '0 send him to my companions, and let him testify to 
them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 

Now then, from what hath been said, there might many 
things be spoken by way of use and application; but I 
shall be very brief, and but touch some things, and so 
wind up 

And, first, I shall begin with the sad condition of those 
that die out of Christ, and speak something to that. 

You see, therefore, that the whole of this first part of the 
parable contains a sad declaration of the state of one living 
and dying out of Christ. 

20 



230 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

1. How that they lose heaven for hell, God for the devil, 
light for darkness, joy for sorrow. 

2. How that they have not so much as the least comfort 
from G-od, who, in the time they live here below, neglect 
coming to him for mercy; not so much as one drop of cold 
water. 

3. That such fools will repent of their folly, when re- 
pentance will do them no good, or when they shall be past 
recovery. 

4. That all the comfort such souls are likely to have, 
they have now in this world. 

5. That all their groanings and sighs will not move God 
to mitigate, in the least, his heavy hand of vengeance that 
is upon them, for the transgressions they have committed 
against him. 

6. That their sad state is irrecoverable; for, mark, they 
must never, never come out of that condition. 

7. Their desires will not be heard for their ungodly 
neighbors. 

From these things then, I pray you, first consider the 
state of those who die out of Christ Jesus ; yea, I say, con- 
sider their miserable state; and think thus with thyself, 
1 Well, if I neglect coming to Christ, I must go to the devil, 
and he will not neglect to fetch me away into those in- 
tolerable torments/ 

1. Think thus with thyself: ' What ! shall I lose a long 
heaven for short pleasure ? Shall I buy the pleasure of 
this world at so dear a rate, as to lose my soul for the ob- 
taining of that ? Shall I content myself with a heaven that 
will last no longer than my lifetime ? What advantage will 
this be to me, when the Lord shall separate soul and body 
asunder, and send one to the grave, the other to hell; and 
at the judgment day, the final sentence of eternal ruin must 
be passed upon me ? 

2. Consider, that the profits, pleasures, and vanities of 



CONSIDERATION URGED. 231 

this world will not last for ever; but the time is coming, 
yea, is just at the door, when they will give thee the slip, 
and leave thee in the suds, and in the brambles of all that 
thou hast done. And therefore, to prevent this thy dismal 
state, think thus with thyself: 'It is true, I love my sins, 
my lusts, and pleasures ; but what good will they do me at 
the day of death and of judgment ? Will my sins do me 
good then ? Will they be able to help me when I come to 
fetch my last breath ? What good will my profits do me ? 
And what good will my vanities do, when death says he will 
have no Nay ? What good will all my companions, fellow- 
jesters, jeerers, liars, drunkards, and all my wantons do me? 
Will they help to ease the pains of hell ? Will these help 
to turn the hand of God from inflicting his fierce anger upon 
me ? Nay, will they not rather cause God to show me no 
mercy, to give me no comfort, but rather to thrust me down 
in the hottest place of hell, where I may swim in fire and 
brimstone V 

3. Consider thus with thyself: f Would I be glad to have 
all, every one of my sins, to come in against me, to inflame 
the justice of God against me ? Would I be glad to be 
bound up in them, as the three children were bound in their 
clothes, and to be as really thrown into the fiery furnace of 
the wrath of almighty God, as they were into Nebuchadnez- 
zar's fiery furnace V 

4. Consider thus : ' Would I be glad to have all and every 
one of the ten commandments to discharge themselves 
against my soul? The first saying, Damn him, for he hath 
broken me; the second saying, Damn him, for he hath 
broken me, and so on to the end. Consider how terrible 
this will be, yea more terrible than if thou shouldst have 
ten of the biggest pieces of ordnance in England to be dis- 
charged against thy body — thunder, thunder, one after 
another. Nay, this would not be comparable to the reports 
that the law (for the breach thereof) will give against thy 



232 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

soul : for those can but kill the body, but these will kill both 
body and soul; and that not for an hour, a day, a month, or 
a year ; but they will condemn thee for ever. 

Mark, it is for ever, for ever. It is into everlasting 
damnation, eternal destruction, eternal wrath and displea- 
sure from G-od, eternal gnawings of conscience, eternal con- 
tinuance with devils. consider. It may be, the thought 
of seeing the devil doth now make thine hair to stand right 
up on thine head. but this, to be damned, to be among 
all the devils, and that not only for a time, as I said before, 
but for ever, to all eternity ! This is to be so wonderfully 
miserable, ever miserable, that no tongue of man, no, nor of 
angels, is able to express it. 

5- Consider much with thyself: 'Not only my sins 
against the law will be laid to my charge, but also the sins 
I have committed in slighting the gospel, the glorious 
gospel : these also must come with a voice against me. As 
thus : Nay, he is worthy to be damned, for he rejected 
the gospel, he slighted the free grace of God tendered in 
the gospel. How many times wast thou (lost wretch) in- 
vited, entreated, beseeched, to come to Christ, to accept of 
mercy, that thou mightst have heaven, thy sins pardoned, 
thy soul saved, thy body and soul glorified ; and all this for 
nothing but the acceptance; and through faith forsaking 
those imps of Satan, which by their embracements have 
drawn thee down toward the gulf of G-od's eternal dis- 
pleasure ? 

How often didst thou read the promises, yea the free 
promises of the common salvation ? How oft didst thou 
read the sweet counsels and admonitions of the gospel, to 
accept of the grace of G-od ? But thou wouldst not, thou 
regardedst it not, thou didst slight all. 

Again, that which will add to all the rest, thou shalt have 
the very mercy of G-od, the blood of Christ, the preachers of 
the word, together with every sermon, all the promises, in- 



WITNESSES AGAINST SINNERS. 233 

vitations, exhortations, and all the counsels and threaten- 
ings of the blessed word of God; thou shalt have all thy 
thoughts, words, and actions, together with all thy food, thy 
raiment, thy sleep, thy goods, and also all hours, days, 
weeks, months, and years, together with whatsoever else 
God hath given thee; I say, thy abuse of all these shall 
come up in judgment against thy soul ; for God will reckon 
with thee for every thing, whether it be good or bad. Eccles. 
xii. 14. 

Nay, further, it is so unreasonable a thing for a sinner to 
refuse the gospel, that the very devils themselves will come 
in against thee, as well as Sodom, that damned crew. May 
not they, I say, come in against thee, and say, ' thou sim- 
ple man ! vile wretch ! that had not so much care 
of thy soul, thy precious soul, as the beast hath of its 
young, or the dog of the very bone that lieth before him ? 
Was thy soul worth so much, and didst thou so little regard 
it? Were the thunder-claps of the law so terrible, and 
didst thou so slight them? Besides, was the gospel so 
freely, so frequently, so fully tendered to thee, and yet hast 
thou rejected all these things ? 

Hast thou valued sin at a higher rate than thy soul, than 
God, Christ, angels, saints, and communion with them in 
eternal blessedness and glory? Wast thou not told of hell- 
fire, those intolerable flames? Didst thou never hear of 
those intolerable roarings of the damned ones that are 
therein ? Didst thou never hear or read that doleful say- 
ing in the 16th of Luke, how the sinful man cries out 
among the flames, One drop of water to cool my tongue V 
Thus, I say, may the very devils, being ready to go with 
thee into the burning furnace of fire and brimstone, though 
not for sins of so high a nature as thine, trembling say, '0 
that Christ had died for devils, as he died for man ! And, 
that the gospel had been preached to us, as it hath been 
to thee ! How would we have labored to have closed in with 

20* 



234 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

it ! But woe be to us, for we might never have it proffered; 
no, not in the least, though we would have been glad of it. 
But you, you have had it proffered, preached, and pro- 
claimed unto you. Prov. viii. 4. Besides, you have been 
entreated and beseeched to accept it, but you would not. 
simple fools ! that might have escaped wrath, vengeance, 
hell-fire, and that to all eternity, and had no heart to do it V 

May not the messengers of Jesus Christ also come in with 
a shrill and terrible note against thy soul, when thou stand- 
est at the bar of G-od's justice, saying, f Nay, thou ungodly 
one, how often hast thou been forewarned of this "day? Did 
not we sound an alarm in thine ears, by the trumpet of 
G-od's word, day after day? How often didst thou hear us 
tell thee of these things? Did we not tell thee, sin would 
damn thy soul? Did we not tell thee, that without conver- 
sion there was no salvation? Did we not tell thee, that 
they who loved their sins, should be damned at this dark 
and gloomy day, (as thou art like to be) ? Yea, did we not 
tell thee, that G-od, out of his love to sinners, sent Christ to 
die for them, that they might, by coming to him be saved? 
Did we not tell thee of these things ? Did we not run, ride, 
labor, and strive abundantly (if it might have been) for thy 
soul, (though now a damned soul) ? Did we not venture our 
goods, our names, our lives? Yea, did we not even kill 
ourselves with our earnest entreaties of thee to consider 
thy state, and by Christ, to escape this dreadful day?' 
sad doom ! when thou shalt be forced, full sore against thy 
will, to fall under the truth of this judgment, saying, " 
how have I hated instruction, and how hath my heart de- 
spised reproof! (for indeed) I have not obeyed the voice of 
my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed 
me." Prov. v. 12, 13. 

May not thy father, thy mother, thy brother, thy sister, 
thy friend, &c, appear with gladness against thee at the ter- 
rible day; saying, '0 thou silly wretch, how rightly hath 



MISERY OF THE LAST PARTING. 235 

God met with thee ! how righteously doth his sentence 
pass upon thee ! Remember thou wouldst not be ruled, nor 
persuaded in thy lifetime. As thou didst not care for us 
and our admonitions then; so neither do we care for thy 
ruin, terror, and damnation now. No, but we will stand on 
God's side, in sentencing thee to that portion which the 
devils must be partakers of/ "The righteous shall rejoice 
when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his foot in the 
blood of the wicked." Psalm lviii. 10. sad ! It is enough 
to make mountains tremble, and rocks rend in pieces, to 
hear this doleful sound. Consider these things ; and if thou 
wouldst be loath to be in this condition, then have a care of 
living in sin now. 

How loath wilt thou be to be thrust away from the gates of 
heaven ! And how loath wilt thou be to be deprived of the 
mercy of God ! How unwillingly wilt thou set foot forward 
towards the lake of fire ! Never did malefactor so unwillingly 
turn off the ladder, when the halter was about his neck, as 
thou wilt turn from God to the devil, from heaven to hell, 
when the sentence is passed upon thy soul. how wilt 
thou sigh and groan ! how willingly wouldst thou hide thy- 
self, and run away from justice ! But alas ! as it is with 
them that are on the ladder ready to be executed, so it will 
be with thee. They would fain run away; but there are many 
halbert-men to stay them; and so the angels of God will 
beset thee round, I sslj, round on every side; so that thou 
mayst indeed look, but run thou canst not. Thou mayst 
wish thyself under some rock or mountain (Rev. vi. 15, 16); 
but how to get under, thou knowest not. 

how unwilling wilt thou be to let thy father go to hea- 
ven without thee ! to let thy mother, or friends go to hea- 
ven without thee! How willingly wouldst thou hang on 
them, and not let them go ! '0 father ! cannot you help 
me ? Mother, cannot you do me some good ? how loath 
am I to burn and fry in hell, while you are singing in hea- 



236 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

Yen !' But alas ! the father, mother, or friends, reject 
them, slight them, and turn their backs upon them, saying, 
' You would have none of heaven in your lifetime, therefore 
you shall have none of it now; you slighted our counsels 
then, and we slight your tears, cries, and condition now/ 
"What sayest thou, sinner? Will not this persuade thine 
heart, or make thee bethink thyself? that is, now, before 
thou fall into that dreadful place, the fiery furnace. But 
consider how dreadful the place itself, the devils themselves, 
the fire itself, will be ! And this at the end of all, Here 
thou must lie for ever ! here thou must fry for ever and for 
ever ! This will be more to thee than any man with tongue 
can express, or with pen can write. There is none, I say, 
that can, by the ten thousandth part, discover the miserable 
state and condition of such a soul. 

Secondly, As I would have thee to consider the sad and 
woful state of those that die out of Christ, and are past all 
recovery, so would I have thee consider the many mercies 
and privileges thou enjoyest above some (peradventure) of 
thy companions that are departed to their proper place, 

As, 1. Consider thou hast still the thread of thy life 
lengthened, which for thy sins might seven years ago, or 
more, have been cut asunder, and thou have dropt down 
among the flames. 

2. Consider the terms of reconciliation by faith in Christ 
are still proffered unto thee, and thou invited, yea entreated 
to accept of them. 

3. Consider the terms of reconciliation are but — bear 
with me though I say, hut — only to believe in Jesus Christ, 
with faith that purifies the heart, and enables thy soul to 
feed on him effectually, and be saved from this sad state. 

4. Consider the time of thy departure is at hand, and the 
time is uncertain, and also that for aught thou knowest, the 
day of grace may be past to thee before thou diest, not last- 



MERCIES ABOVE THOSE IN HELL. 237 

ing so long as thy uncertain life in this world. And if so, 
then know for certain, that thou art as sure to be damned, 
as if thou wast in hell already, if thou convert not in the 
meanwhile. 

5. Consider it may be some of thy friends are giving all 
diligence to make their calling and election sure, being re- 
solved for heaven, and thou thyself endeavorest as fast to 
make sure of hell, as if resolved to have it; and together 
with this, consider how it will grieve thee, that while thou 
wast making sure of hell, thy friends were making sure of 
heaven. But more of this by and by. 

6. Consider what a sad reflection this will have on thy 
soul, to see thy friends in heaven, and thyself in hell ; thy 
father in heaven, and thou in hell; thy mother in heaven, 
and thou in hell ; thy brother, thy sister, thy children, in 
heaven, and thou in hell. As Christ sai'd to the Jews of 
their relations according to the flesh, so may I say to thee 
concerning thy friends, There shall be weeping and wailing 
and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see your fathers and 
mothers, brethren and sisters, husbands and wives, children 
and kinsfolk, with your friends and neighbors, in the king- 
dom of heaven, and thou thyself thrust out. Luke xiii. 28-29. 

But again, thirdly, because I would not only tell thee of 
the damnable state of those that die out of Christ, but also 
persuade thee to take hold of life, and go to heaven, take 
notice of these following things. 

1. Consider, that whatever thou canst do, as to thy ac- 
ceptance with G-od, is not worth the dirt of thy shoes, but is 
all as menstruous rags. Isa. lxiv. 6. 

2. Consider, that all the conditions of the new covenant 
(as to salvation) are and have been completely fulfilled by 
the Lord Jesus Christ, and that for sinners. Heb. viii. 6. 

3. Consider, that the Lord calls to thee to receive what- 
soever Christ hath done, and that on free cost. Rev. xxii. 17. 



238 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

4. Consider that thou canst not honor Grod more, than 
to close in with his proffers, of grace, mercy, and pardon of 
sin. Rom. iv. 

I shall conclude this head, then, with a few considerations 
of encouragement. 

Consider (for I would fain have thee come in, sinner) that 
there is a way, made by Jesus Christ, for them that are un- 
der the curse of Grod, to come to this comfortable and blessed 
state of Lazarus I was speaking of. Eph. ii. 

Consider what pains Christ Jesus took for the ransoming of 
thy soul from all the curses, thunder-claps, and tempests of the 
law ; from all the intolerable flames of hell ; from that soul- 
sinking appearance of thy person (on the left hand) before 
the judgment-seat of Christ Jesus ; from everlasting fellow- 
ship with innumerable companies of yelling, and soul-ama- 
zing devils. 

I say, consider what pains the Lord Jesus Christ took in 
bringing in redemption for sinners, from these things, in 
that though he was rich, yet he became poor, that thou, 
through his poverty, might be made rich. 2 Cor. viii. 9. 
He laid aside his glory, and became a servant. John xvii. ; 
Phil. ii. He left the company of angels, and encountered 
with the devil. Luke iv. ; Matt. iv. He left heaven's ease 
for a time, to lie upon hard mountains. John viii. In a 
word, he became poorer than those that go with flail and 
rake ; yea, than the very birds or foxes ; and all to do thee 
good. 

Besides, consider a little those unspeakable and intolera- 
ble sligh tings and rejections, and the manifold abuses that 
came from men upon him: how he was falsely accused, 
being a sweet, harmless, and undefiled lamb ; how he was 
undervalued, so that a murderer was counted less worthy of 
condemnation than he. Besides, how they mock him, spit 
on him, beat him over the head with staves, and pluck the 
hair from his cheeks. "I gave my back to the sinkers/' 



WHAT CHRIST SUFFERED FOR SINNERS. 239 

saith he, "and my cheeks to them that plucked oft the 
hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting." Think 
of his head crowned with thorns, his hands pierced with 
nails, and his side with a spear! together with how they 
scourged him, and so miserably misused him, that they had 
even spent him in a great measure before they did crucify 
him ; insomuch that there was another fain to carry his cross. 

Again, not only this, but lay to heart a little what he 
received from God his dear Father, though he was his dear 
and tender Son. First, in that he did deal with him as the 
greatest sinner and rebel in the world ; for he laid the sins 
of thousands, and ten thousands, and thousands of thou- 
sands of sinners to his charge (Isa. liii.), and caused him to 
drink the terrible cup that was due to them all; and not 
only so, but did delight in so doing ; for " it pleased the 
Lord to bruise him." God dealt indeed with his Son, as 
Abraham would have dealt with Isaac ; ay, and more terri- 
ble by ten thousand parts; for he did not only tear his body 
like a lion, but made his soul an offering for sin. And this 
was not done feignedly, but really; for justice called for it, 
he standing in the room of sinners. Witness that horrible 
and unspeakable agony that fell on him suddenly in the 
garden, as if all the vials of God's unspeakable scalding 
vengeance had been cast upon him all at once, and all the 
devils in hell had broken loose from thence at once to 
destroy him, and that for ever ; insomuch that the very 
pangs of death seized upon him in the same hour. For, 
saith he, My soul is amazed and exceeding sorrowful, even 
unto death. Mark xiv. 33, 34. 

Witness also that strange kind of sweat that trickled down 
his most blessed face, where it is said, he sweat, as it were 
great drops, or dodders, of blood, trickling down to the 
ground. Lord Jesus ! what a load didst thou carry ! 
what a burden didst thou bear of the sins of the world, and 
the wrath of God ! O thou didst not only bleed at nose and 



240 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

mouth, with the pressure that lay upon thee, but thou wast 
so pressed, so loaden, that the pure blood gushed through 
the flesh and skin, and so ran trickling down to the ground ! 
"And his sweat was as it were great drops of blood/ 7 
trickling or " falling down to the ground/' Luke xxii. 44. 
Canst thou read this, thou wicked sinner, and yet go on 
in sin ? Canst thou think of this, and defer repentance one 
hour longer ? heart of flint, yea, harder ! miserable 
wretch ! what place in hell will be hot enough for thee, to 
have thy soul put into, if thou shalt persist, or go on still, to 
add iniquity to iniquity ? 

Besides, his soul went down to hell (Psalm xvi. 10 ; 
Acts ii. 31), and his body to the bars of the grave: and had 
hell, death, or the grave, been strong enough to hold him, 
then he had suffered the vengeance of eternal fire to all 
eternity. But, Blessed Jesus ! how didst thou discover 
thy love to man in thy thus suffering ! And, G-od the 
Father ! how didst thou also declare the purity and exact- 
ness of thy justice, in that, though it was thine only, holy, 
innocent, harmless, and undefiled Son Jesus, that did take 
on him our nature, and represent our persons, answering for 
our sins, instead of ourselves, thou didst so wonderfully pour 
out thy wrath upon him, to the making of him cry out, 
u My G-ocl, my God, why hast thou forsaken me V And, 
Lord Jesus ! what a glorious conquest hast thou made 
over the enemies of our souls, even wrath, sin, death, hell, 
and devils, in that thou didst wring thyself from under the 
power of them all! and not only so, but hast led them 
captive which would have led us captive; and also hast 
received for us that glorious and unspeakable inheritance, 
that " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it 
entered into the heart of man" to conceive : and also hast 
given us some discovery thereof through thy Spirit. 
And now, sinner, together with this, consider, 
Fourthly, That though Jesus Christ hath done all these 



DEVICES OF SATAN TO DESTROY SINNERS. 241 

things for sinners, yet the devils make it their whole work, 
and continual study, how they may keep thee and others 
from enjoying these blessed privileges that have been thus 
obtained for sinners by this sweet Jesus. Satan labors, I 
say, 1. To keep thee ignorant of thy state by nature. 2. To 
harden thy heart against the ways of God. 3. To inflame 
thy heart with love to sin and the ways of darkness. And, 
4. To get thee to continue therein. For that is the way, he 
knows, to get thee to be a partaker with him of flaming hell- 
fire, even the same which he himself is fallen into, together 
with the rest of the wicked world by reason of sin. Look to 
it therefore. 

Fifthly, But now, in the next place, a word of encourage- 
ment to you that are the saints of the Lord. 

1. Consider, what a happy state thou art in, that hast 
gotten the faith of the Lord Jesus unto thy soul. But be 
sure thou have it, I say, how safe, how sure, how happy 
art thou ! For when others go to hell, thou must go to 
heaven ; when others go to the devil, thou must go to God ; 
when others go to prison, thou must be set at liberty, at ease, 
and at freedom ; when others must roar for sorrow of heart, 
then thou shalt also sing for the joy of heart. 

2. Consider, thou must have all thy well spent life to 
follow thee, instead of all thy sins; and the glorious blessings 
of the gospel, instead of the dreadful curses and condemna- 
tions of the law; the blessing of the Father, instead of a 
fiery sentence from the Judge. 

3. Let dissolution come when it will, it can do thee no 
harm ; for it will be but only a passage out of a prison into 
a palace ; out of a sea of troubles, into an haven of rest; out 
of a crowd of enemies, to an innumerable company of true, 
loving, and faithful friends; out of shame, reproach, and 
contempt, into exceeding great and eternal glory. For death 
shall not hurt thee with his sting, nor bite thee with his 
soul-murdering teeth, but shall be a welcome guest to thee, 

21 



242 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

even to thy soul, in that it is sent to free thee from thy 
troubles which thou art in, whilst here in this world, dwell- 
ing in the tabernacle of clay. 

4. Consider, however it goes with friends and relations, 
yet it will go well with thee. Eccles. viii. 12. However it 
goes with the wicked, yet I know, mark, yet "I know (saith 
he) that it shall go well with them that fear the Lord, that 
fear before him." 

And therefore, let this, in the first place, cause thee cheer- 
fully to exercise thy patience under all the calamities, crosses, 
troubles, and afflictions that may come upon thee; and by 
patient continuance in well-doing, to commit both thyself, 
and thine affairs, and actions, into the hands of G-od, through 
Jesus Christ, as to a faithful Creator, who is true to his 
word, and loveth to give unto thee whatsoever he hath 
promised to thee. 

5. And therefore, to encourage thee, while thou art here, 
with comfort to hold on, for all thy crosses in this thy 
journey; be much in considering the place that thou must 
go into, so soon as dissolution comes. 

It must be into heaven, to Glod the judge of all, to an in- 
numerable company of angels, to the spirits of just men made 
perfect, to the general assembly and church of the first-born, 
whose names are written in heaven, and to Jesus (to the 
Redeemer) who is the Mediator of the new covenant, and to 
the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things for thee 
than Abel's did for Cain. Heb. xii. 22, 23, 24. 

Consider, that when the time of the dead, that they shall 
be raised, is come, then shall thy body be raised out of the 
grave and be glorified, and be made like to Jesus Christ. 
Phil. iii. 21. excellent condition ! 

When Jesus Christ shall sit on the throne of his glory, 
you shall also sit with him, even when he shall sit on the 
throne of his glory. will not this be glorious, that 
when thousands, and thousands of thousands, shall be ar- 



ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE GODLY. 243 

raigned before the judgment-seat of Christ, then for them 
to sit with him upon the throne, together with him to pass 
the sentence upon the ungodly ? 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3. Will it 
not be glorious to enjoy those things that eye hath not seen, 
nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man to 
conceive ? 

Will it not be glorious to have this sentence, " Come ye, 
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you 
before the foundation of the world?' 7 Will it not be glori- 
ous to enter then, with the angels and saints, into that glori- 
ous kingdom? Will it not be glorious for thee to be in 
glory with them, while others are in unutterable torments ? 
then ! how will it comfort thee to see thou hast not lost 
that glory; to think that the devil hath not got thy soul, 
that thy soul should be saved, and that not from a little, 
but a great, exceeding danger; not with a little, but a great 
salvation. 0! therefore, let the saints be joyful in glory; 
let them triumph over all their enemies. Let them begin 
to sing heaven upon earth, triumph before they come to 
glory, even when they are in the midst of their enemies : for 
this honor shall all his saints have. Psalm cxlix. 5-9. 



CHAPTER XII. 



Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear 
them. — Verse 29. 



In the verses foregoing you see there is a discovery of the 
lamentable state of the poor soul that dies out of Christ, and 
the special favor of G-od; and also, how little the glorious 
God of heaven doth regard, and take notice of their most 
miserable condition. 

Now, in this verse, he doth magnify the words which 



244 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

were spoken to the people by the prophets and apostles, 
"They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." 
As if he should say, Thou askest me that I should send 
Lazarus back again into the world, to preach to them that 
live there, that they might escape that doleful place that 
thou art in ! What needs that ? Have they not Moses and 
the prophets ? Have they not had my ministers and ser- 
vants sent unto them, and coming as from me? I sent 
Enoch and Noah, Moses and Samuel ; I sent David, Isaiah, 
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, and the rest of the pro- 
phets, together with Peter, Paul, John, Matthew, James, 
Jude, with the rest; "let them hear them." What they 
have spoken by divine inspiration I will own, whether it be 
for the damnation of those that reject, or the saving of them 
that receive their doctrine. And, therefore, what need have 
they that one should be sent unto them in another way ? 
"They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them;" 
let them receive their word, and close in with the doctrine 
declared by them. The things that I shall observe, from 
hence, are these : 

1. That the scriptures, spoken by the holy men of God, are 
a sufficient rule to instruct to salvation, them that do assur- 
edly believe and close in with what they hold forth. " They 
have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." That 
is, If they would escape that doleful place, and be saved, 
indeed, from the intolerable pains of hell-fire, as they desire, 
they have that which is sufficient to counsel them: "They 
have Moses and the prophets;" let them be instructed by 
them, "let them hear them." "For all scripture is given 
by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for re- 
proof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." Why ? 
" That the man of G-od may be perfect, throughly furnished 
to all good works." 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. 

Do but mark these words, All scripture is profitable. 
All; take it where you will, and what place you will: all is 



ALL SCRIPTURE PROFITABLE. 245 

profitable. For what? "That the man of God," or he 
that is bound for heaven, should instruct others in their 
progress thither. 

It is profitable to instruct him, in case he be ignorant; to 
reprove him, in case he transgress ; to correct him, if he 
hath need of it; to confirm him, if he be wavering. It is 
profitable for doctrine ; and all this in a very righteous way, 
that the poor soul may not only be helped, but thoroughly 
furnished, not only to some, but to all good works. And 
when Paul would counsel Timothy to stick close to the 
things that are sound and sure, presently he puts him upon 
the scripture, saying, " Thou hast, from a child, known the 
holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto sal- 
vation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus." The scrip- 
tures hold forth God's mind and will, his love and mercy 
towards man, and also the creature's carriage towards him, 
from first to last ; so, if thou wouldst know the love of God 
in Christ to sinners, then, " Search the scriptures, for they 
are they that testify of him." 

Wouldst thou know what thou art, and what is in thine 
heart ? then search the scriptures, and see what is written 
in them. Rom. iii. 9-18; i. 29-31; Jer. xvii. 9; Gen. vi. 
5; viii. 21; Eph. iv. 18, with many others. The scrip- 
tures, I say, are able to give a man perfect instruction into 
any of the things of God, necessary to faith and godliness, 
if he hath but an honest heart, seriously to weigh and pon- 
der the several things contained in them. As to instance, 
in things more particular, for the further clearing up of this : 
And first, if we come to the creation of the world, — Wouldst 
thou know somewhat concerning that? Then read Gen. i. 
and ii., and compare them with Psalm xxxiii. 6; also Isa. 
lxvi. 2 ; Prov. viii. towards the end. 

Wouldst thou know whether he made them of something 
or nothing? Read Heb. xi. 3. 

21* 



246 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

Wouidst thou know whether he put forth any labour in 
making them, as we do in making things? Read Psalm 
xxxiii. 6. 

If thou wouidst know whether man was made by God cor- 
rupt or upright, read Eccles. vii. 29; Gen. i. 10, 18, 25, 31. 

Wouidst thou know whither God did place man after he 
had made him? Read Gen. ii. 15. 

Wouidst thou know whether that man did live there all 
his time or not? Then read Gen. iii. 23, 24. 

If thou wouidst know whether man be still in that state, 
by nature, that God did place him in, then read Eccles. vii. 
29, and compare it with Rom. v. 16; Eph. ii. 1, 2, 3. 
" God made man upright, but he hath sought out many in- 
ventions." 

If thou wouidst know whether man was first beguiled, or 
the woman that God made an helpmate for him, read Gen. 
iii. 6, and compare it with 1 Tim. ii. 14. 

Wouidst thou know whether God looked upon Adam's 
eating of the forbidden tree, to be sin or no ? Read Rom. 
v. 12—15, and compare it with Gen. iii. 17. 

Wouidst thou know whether it was the devil who be- 
guiled them, or whether it was a natural serpent, such as do 
haunt the desolate places ? Read Gen. iii. 1, with Rev. xx. 
1, 2, 3. 

Wouidst thou know whether that sin be imputed to us ? 
Read Rom. v. 12-15, and compare it with Eph. ii. 3. 

Wouidst thou know whether the man was cursed for his 
sin? Read Gal. iii. 10; Rom. v. 15. 

Wouidst thou know whether the curse did fall on man, or 
on the whole creation with him ? Compare Gen. iii. 17, 
with Rom. viii. 20, 21, 22. 

Wouidst thou know whether a man be defiled in every 
part of him by the sin he hath committed ? Then read 
Isa. i. 6. 

Wouidst thou know man's inclination so soon as he is 



USE OF THE SCRIPTURES. 247 

born? Read Psalm, lviii. 3, "The wicked are estranged 
from the womb; they go astray as soon as they be born." 

Wouldst thou know whether man, once fallen from God 
by transgression, can recover himself, by all he can do? 
Then read Horn. iii. 20, 23. 

Wouldst thou know whether it be the desire of the heart 
of man, by nature, to follow God in his own way, or no ? 
Compare Gen. vi. 5; viii. 21, with Hos. xi. 7. 

Wouldst thou know how God's heart stood affected to- 
wards man, before the world began ? Compare Eph. i. 4, 
with 2 Tim. i. 9. 

Wouldst thou know whether sin were sufficient to draw 
God's love from his creatures? Compare Jer. iii. 7; Micah 
vii. 18, with Rom. v. 6, 7, 8. 

Wouldst thou know whether God's love did still abide 
towards his creatures, for any thing they could do to make 
him amends? Then read Deut. xi. 5-8. 

Wouldst thou know how God could still love his creatures, 
and do his justice no wrong? Read Rom. iii. 24-26, 
" Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption 
that is in Christ Jesus ; whom God hath set forth to be a 
propitiation for sin, through faith in his blood ; to declare 
his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, 
through the forbearance of God. To declare, I say, at this 
time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justi- 
fier of him which believeth in Jesus. " That is, God having 
his justice satisfied in the blood, and righteousness, and 
death of his own Son Jesus Christ for the sins of poor 
sinners, he can now save them that come to him, though 
ever so great sinners, and do his justice no wrong; because 
it hath had a full and complete satisfaction given it by that 
blood. 1 John ii. 2. 

Wouldst thou know who he was, and what he was, that 
did out of his love die for sinners ? Then compare John iii. 
16, 17; Rom. v. 8, with Isa. ix. 6. 



248 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

Wouldst thou know whether this Saviour had a body of 
flesh and bones, before the world was, or took it from the 
Virgin Mary ? Then read G-al. iv. 4. 

Wouldst thou know whether he did in that, body bear all 
our sins, and where ? Then read 1 Pet. ii. 24. " Who bare 
our sins in his own body on the tree/' 

Wouldst thou know whether he did rise again after he 
was crucified, with the very same body? Then read Luke 
xxiv. 38-41. 

Wouldst thou know whether he did eat or drink with his 
disciples after he rose out of the grave ? Then read Luke 
xxiv. 42, and Acts x. 41. 

If thou wouldst be persuaded of the truth of this, that that 
very body is now above the clouds and stars, read Acts i. 
9-11, and Luke xxiv. 50, to the end. 

If thou wouldst know that the Quakers hold an error, that 
say the body of Christ is within them, consider the same 
scripture. 

Wouldst thou know what that Christ that died for sinners 
is doing in that place whither he is gone? Then read 
Heb. vii. 24. 

Wouldst thou know who shall have life by him ? Head 
1 Tim. i. 14, 15, and Rom. v. 6-8, which say, Christ died 
for sinners — for the ungodly. 

Wouldst thou know whether they that live and die in 
their sins, shall go to heaven or not ? Then read 1 Cor. vi. 
10; Rev. xxi. 8, 27, which saith, they " shall have, their 
part in the lake which burnetii with fire and brimstone." 

Wouldst thou know whether men's obedience will obtain 
that Christ should die for them, or save them ? Then read 
Mark ii. 17; Rom. v. 7. 

Wouldst thou know whether righteousness, justification, 
and sanctification, do come through the virtue of Christ's 
blood? Compare Rom. v. 9, with Heb. xiii. 12. 

Wouldst thou know whether a natural man abstains from 



USE OF THE SCRIPTURES. 249 

the outward acts of sin against the law, merely by a prin- 
ciple of nature ? Then compare well Rom. ii. 14, with 
Philip, iii. 6. 

Wouldst thou know whether a man by nature may know 
something of the invisible things of God ? Compare seriously 
Rom. i. 20, 21, with Rom. ii. 14, 15. 

Wouldst thou know how far a man may go in a profession 
of the gospel, and yet fall away ? Then read Heb. vi. 4-6. 
They may taste the good word of G-od, and the powers of 
the world to come ; they may taste the heavenly gift, and 
be partakers of the Holy Ghost, and yet so fall as never to 
be recovered, or renewed again unto repentance. See also 
Luke xiii. 

Wouldst thou know how hard it is to go to heaven ? Read 
Matt. vii. 13, 14 ; Luke xiii. 24. 

Wouldst thou know whether a man by nature be a 
friend to God, or an enemy? Then read Rom. v. 11; 
Col. i. 21. 

Wouldst thou know what, or who they are that shall go 
to heaven ? Then read John iii. 3, 5, 7, and 2 Cor. v. 7. 
Also, wouldst thou know what a sad thing it is for any to 
turn their backs upon the gospel of Jesus Christ ? Then 
read Heb. x. 28, 29, and Mark xvi. 16. 

Wouldst thou know what is the wages of sin ? Then read 
Rom. vi. 23. 

Wouldst thou know whither those do go, that die uncon- 
verted to the faith of Christ ? Then read Psal. ix 17, and 
Isa. xiv. 9. 

Reader, here might I spend many sheets of paper, yea, I 
might upon this subject write a very great book; but I shall 
now forbear, desiring thee to be very conversant in the 
scriptures ; for they are they that will testify of Jesus Christ. 
John v. 39. The Bereans were counted noble upon this 
account : " These were more noble than those in Thessa- 



250 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

lonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of 
mind, and searched the scriptures daily." Acts xvii. 11. 

But here let me give thee one caution, that is, have a care 
that thou do not satisfy thyself with a bare search of them, 
without a real application of him whom they testify of to 
thy soul; lest instead of faring better for thy doing this 
work, thou dost fare a great deal worse, and thy condemna- 
tion be very much heightened ; in that though thou didst 
read so often the sad state of those that die in sin, and the 
glorious state of them that close in with Christ, yet thou 
thyself shouldst be such a fool as to lose Jesus Christ, not- 
withstanding thy hearing and reading so plentifully of him. 

" They have Moses and the prophets ; let them hear 
them." As if he should say, What need have they that one 
should be sent to them from the dead ? Have they not 
Moses and the prophets? Hath not Moses told them the 
danger of living in sin? Deut. xxvii. 15-26; xxviii. 15-21, 
&c. in the end of the chapter; also xxix. 18-22. Hath he 
not there told them, what a sad state those persons are in, 
that deceive themselves with the deceit of their hearts, say- 
ing, they shall have peace though they follow their sins, in 
these words : "And when he heareth the words of this curse, 
and blesseth himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace 
though I walk, or go on in the imagination of mine heart, 
to add drunkenness to thirst: The Lord will not spare him; 
but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke 
against that man, and all the curses that are written in this 
book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his 
name from under heaven." 

Again, Did not Moses write of the Saviour that was to 
come afterwards into the world? Deut. xviii. 18. Nay, 
have not all the prophets, from Samuel, with all those that 
follow after, prophesied, and foretold these things ? There- 
fore what need have they that God should work a miracle, 



GOD HONORS THE SCRIPTURES. 251 

to send one from the dead unto them? a They have Moses 
and the prophets* let them hear them." 

2. From whence observe again, that God doth honor the 
writings of Moses and the prophets as much, nay more, than 
if one should rise from the dead. What! "seek for the 
living to the dead? Should not a people seek unto their 
God ? To the law, and to the testimony, (saith God) : if 
they speak not according to this word, it is because there 
is no light in them." Isa. viii. 19, 20. And let me tell 
you plainly, I do believe that the devil knows this full 
well, which makes him labor to beget in the hearts of his 
disciples and followers, light thoughts of the scriptures; 
and doth persuade them, that even a motion from their own 
beguiled conscience, or from his own wicked spirit, is to be 
observed and obeyed before them. When the very apostle 
of Jesus Christ, though he heard a voice from the excellent 
glory, saying, "This is my beloved Son, hear him;" yet in 
writing to the churches, even he commends the writings of 
the prophets before it, saying, "We have also a more sure 
word of prophecy ; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed :" 
2 Pet. i. 17-19. Now if thou doubtest whether in that 
place he meant the scriptures, the words of the prophets, or 
no; read but the next verse, where he addeth for a certain 
confirmation thereof these words: "Knowing this first, that 
there is no prophecy of the scriptures, of any private inter- 
pretation : for the prophecy came not in old time by the will 
of man ; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by 
the Holy Ghost." 

And therefore what a sad thing is it for those that go 
about to disown the scriptures ! I tell you, however they 
may slight them now, yet when they come into hell, they 
will see their folly. " They have Moses and the prophets ; 
let them hear them." 

Further, Who are they that are so tossed to and fro, with 
the several winds of doctrine that have been broached in 



252 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

these days, but such for the most part, as have had a light 
esteem of the scriptures? For the ground of error is (as 
Christ saith) because they know not them. Mark xii. 24. 
And indeed, it is just with God to give them over (to follow 
their own dark, blinded consciences ; to be led into errors, 
that they might be damned in hell) who do not believe that 
the things contained in the scripture are the truth, that 
they might be saved and go to heaven. I cannot well tell 
how to have done speaking for, and on the scriptures' side; 
only this I consider, — A word is enough to the wise. And 
therefore I shall commit these things into the hands of them 
that are of God. And as for the rest, I shall say to them, 
rather than God will save them from hell with the breach 
of his holy word, if they had a thousand souls a-piece, God 
would destroy them all. "For the scripture cannot be 
broken." John x. 35. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

And he said, Nat, father Abraham : but if one went unto them from the dead, 
they -will repent. — Verse 30. 

The verse before, you know, as I told you, it was part of 
an answer to such as lose their souls; so it is a vindication 
of the scriptures of Moses and the prophets: "They have 
Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." 

Now this verse is an answer to what was said in the for- 
mer, and such an one as hath in it a rejection of the former 
answer. "Nay, father Abraham," nay, saith he, do not 
say so; do not put them off with this; send one from the 
dead, and then there will be some hopes. It is true, thou 
speakest of the scripture, of Moses and the prophets, and 
sayest, "Let them hear them;" but these things are not so 



HOW MEN SLIGHT THE SCRIPTURES. 253 

well as I could wish : I had rather thou would send one 
from the dead. In these words therefore, "Nay, father 
Abraham," there is a repulse given : Nay, let it not be so. 
Nay, I do not like that answer. Hear Moses and the pro- 
phets? nay. The same expression is used by Christ, Luke 
xiii. 4, 5 : Think you that they upon whom the tower of 
Siloam fell, were sinners above others? "I tell you nay: 
but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." So here, 
"Nay, father Abraham." By this word. "Nay," therefore, 
is signified a rejecting the first answer. 

Now observe, I pray you, the reason why he says, Nay, 
is, because God doth put over all those that would be saved, 
to observe and receive the truth contained in the scriptures, 
and believe that, — to have a high esteem of them, and to 
love and search them; as Christ saith, "Search the scrip- 
tures, — for they are they which testify of me." John v. 39. 
But the damned say, Nay. As if he had said, i This is the 
thing: to be short, my brethren are unbelievers, and do not 
regard the word of God. I know it by myself : for when I 
was in the world, it was so with me. Many a good sermon 
did I hear; many a time was I admonished, desired, en- 
treated, beseeched, threatened, forewarned, of what I now 
suffer; but, alas! I was ignorant, self-conceited, surly, ob- 
stinate, and rebellious. Many a time the preachers told me, 
hell would be my portion ; the devil would wreak his malice 
on me; God would pour on me his sore displeasure; but he 
had as good have preached to the stock, to the post, to the 
stones I trod on ; his words rang in my ears, but I kept 
them from my heart. I remember he alleged many a scrip- 
ture; but those I valued not. The scriptures, thought I, 
what are they ? A dead letter, a little ink and paper, of 
three or four shillings price. Alas! What is the scripture? 
Give me a ballad, a news-book, George on Horseback, or 
Bevis of Southampton. Give me some book that teaches 
curious arts, that tells of old fables; but for the holy scrip- 

22 



254 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

tures I care not. And as it was with me then, so it is with 
my brethren now. We were all in one spirit; loved all the 
same sins; slighted all the same counsels, promises, encou- 
ragements, and threatenings of the scriptures. And they 
are still, as I left them; still in unbelief, still provoking 
Grod, and rejecting good counsel; so hardened in their ways, 
so bent to follow sin, that let the scriptures be showed to 
them daily, let the messengers of Christ preach till their 
hearts ache; — till they fall down dead with preaching — they 
will rather trample it under foot, and, swine-like, rend them, 
than close in with those gentle and blessed proffers of the 
gospel. "Nay, father Abraham: but if one should rise 
from the dead, they would repent." Though they have 
Moses and the prophets (the scriptures) they will not re- 
pent and close in with Jesus Christ, although the scriptures 
do witness against them. If, therefore, there be any good 
done to them, they must have it another way. I think, 
saith he, it would work much on them, if one should rise 
from the dead/ 

And this truth indeed is so evident, that ungodly men 
have a light esteem of the scriptures, that it needs not many 
strong arguments to prove it; being so evidently manifested 
by their every day's practice, both in words and actions, 
almost in all things they say and do. Yet, for the satisfac- 
tion of the reader, I shall show you, by a scripture or two 
(though I might show many) that this was, and is, true, 
with the generality of the world. See the words of Nehe- 
miah, in his 9th chapter, concerning the children of Israel, 
who, though the Lord offered them mercy upon mercy, as it 
is from verse 19 to verse 25; yet verse 26, saith he, "Ne- 
vertheless, they Were disobedient (for all thy goodness to- 
wards them), and rebelled against thee, (but how?) and 
cast thy law behind their back, and slew the prophets, 
which testified against them to turn them to thee; and they 
wrought great provocations." Observe, 1. They sinned 



HOW MEN SLIGHT THE SCRIPTURES. 255 

against mercy. And then, 2. They slighted the law, or 
word of God. 3. They slew the prophets that declared it 
unto them. 4. The Lord counts it a great provocation. See 
Heb. iii. 10-19. And see Zech. vii. 11, 12, " But they 
refused to hearken" (saith he there to the wicked), " and 
pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they 
should not hear (the law). Yea, they made their hearts 
hard as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, 
and the words which the Lord of hosts sent unto them, by 
his Spirit, in the former prophets. Mark, I pray you, here 
is also, 1. A refusing to hearken to the words of the pro- 
phets. 2. That they might so do, they stopped their ears. 
3. If any thing was to be done, they pulled away their 
shoulder. 4. To effect this, they labor to make their hearts 
as an adamant stone. 5. And all this, lest they should hear 
and close in with Jesus, and live, and be delivered from the 
wrath to come. All which things do hold out an unwilling- 
ness to submit to the words of God, and so embrace Jesus 
Christ, who is testified of by them. Many other scriptures 
I might bring in for confirmation of the thing; as that in 
Amos vii. 12, 13 ; also 1 Sam. ii. 24, 25 ; 2 Chron. xxv. 15, 
16; Jer. vii. 23, 27; xvi. 12. Read also, seriously, that 
saying in 2 Chron. xxxvi. 15, where he saith, "And the 
Lord God of their fathers sent to them, by his messengers 
rising up betimes — because he had compassion on his peo- 
ple, and on his dwelling-place." And did they make them 
welcome? No; "But they mocked the messenger of God, 
and despised his words." And was that all ? No ; They 
"misused the prophets." How long? "Until the wrath 
of the Lord rose against them, till there was no remedy." 
See also Jer. xxix. 19; xxv. 3-7; Luke xi. 49. 

And besides, the conversation of almost all men doth 
bear witness to the same, both religious and profane persons, 
in that they daily neglect, reject, and turn their backs upon 
the plain testimony of the scriptures. 



256 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

As, for example. Take the tlireatenings laid down in 
holy writ, and how are they disregarded ? 

1. There are but a few places in the Bible but there are 
threatenings against one sinner or other; against drunkards, 
swearers, liars, proud persons, strumpets, whoremongers, 
covetous, railers, extortioners, thieves, lazy persons; in a 
word, all manner of sins are reproved; and without faith 
in the Lord Jesus, there is a sore punishment to be exe- 
cuted on the committers of them; and all this made men- 
tion of in the scriptures. 

But for all this, how thick, and by heaps, do these 
wretches walk up and down our streets ! Do but go into the 
alehouse, and you shall see almost every room besprinkled 
with them; so foaming out their own shame, that it is 
enough to make the heart of a saint to tremble; insomuch 
that they would not be bound to have society with them any 
long while, for all the world. For as the ways of the godly 
are not liked by the wicked, even so the ways of the wicked 
are "an abomination to the just." Prov. xxix. 27; Psalm 
cxx. 5, 6. 

2. The scriptures say, " Cursed is the man that trusteth 
in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart depart- 
eth from the Lord/' Jer. xvii. 5. 

And yet, how many poor souls are there in the world, 
that stand in so much awe and dread of men, and do so 
highly esteem their favor, that with their favor, they will 
rather venture their souls in the hands of the devil, than 
they will fly to Jesus Christ for the salvation of their souls ! 
Nay, though they be convinced, in their souls, that the way 
is the way of God, yet, how do they labor to stifle convic- 
tion, and turn their ears away from the truth ; and all be- 
cause they will not lose the favor of an opposing neighbor ? 
'0! I dare not for my master, my brother, my landlord; 
I shall lose his favor, his house of work, and so decay my 
calling/ l 0V saith another, 'I would willingly go in this 



WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY. 257 

way, but for my father ; he chides, and tells me he will not 
stand my friend, when I come to want; I shall never enjoy 
a pennyworth of his goods ; he will disinherit me/ ' And I 
not/ saith another, ' for my husband ; he will be a-railing, 
and tells me he will turn me out of doors, he will beat me, 
and cut off my legs/ But I tell you, if any of these, or any 
other things, be so prevalent with thee now, as to keep thee 
from seeking after Christ in his ways, they will also be so 
prevalent with God against thee, as to make him cast off thy 
soul; because thou didst rather trust man than God, and 
delight in the embracing of man rather than in the favor of 
the Lord. 

3. Again, the scripture saith, "He that, being often re- 
proved, hardeneth his neck, shall be suddenly destroyed, and 
that without remedy. Prov. xxix. 1. Yet many are so far 
from turning (though they have been convinced of their 
wretched state an hundred times), that when conviction or 
trouble for sin comes on their consciences, they go on still in 
the same manner, resisting and choking the same, though 
remediless destruction be hard at their heels. 

4. Again, thou hast heard say, Unless a man be born 
again he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. John iii. 
3, 5, 7. And yet thou goest on in a natural state, an un- 
regenerate condition; nay, thou dost resolve never to turn, 
nor be changed, though hell be appointed on purpose to 
swallow up such. Isa. xiv. 9. "The wicked shall be turned 
into hell, and all the nations that forget Grod." Psalm ix. 17. 

5. Again, the scripture saith plainly, that he that loveth 
and maketh a lie, shall have his portion in the lake that 
burns with fire and brimstone. Eev. xxi. 8, 27. And yet 
thou art so far from dreading it, that it is thy delight to 
jest and jeer, and lie for a penny, or twopence, or sixpence 
again. And also if thou make the rest of thy companions 
merry, by telling things that are false of them that are bet- 
ter than thyself, thou dost not care a straw. Or if thou 



258 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

nearest a lie from, or of another, thou wilt tell it, and swear 
to the truth of it. miserable ! 

6. Thou hast heard and read, that "He that believeth 
not, shall be damned" (Mark xvi. 16); and that all men 
have not faith. 2 Thes. iii. 2. And yet thou dost so much 
disregard these things, that it is likely thou didst scarce 
ever so much as examine seriously whether thou wast in the 
faith or no; but dost content thyself with the hypocrite's 
hope, which at the last God will cut off, counting it no bet- 
ter than the spider's web (Job viii. 13, 14), or the house 
that is built on the sands. Luke vi. 49. Nay, thou perad- 
venture dost natter thyself, and thinkest that thy faith is as 
the best of them all ; when alas ! poor soul, thou mayst 
have no saving faith at all ; which thou hast not, if thou art 
not born again and made a new creature. 2 Cor. ii. 17. 

7. Thou hast heard, that he that neglects God's great 
salvation, shall never escape his great damnation. Heb. ii. 3, 
compared with Luke xiv. 24 ; and Rev. xiv. 19, 20. And 
yet when thou art invited, entreated and beseeched to come 
in (Luke xiv. 17, 18; 2 Cor. v. 19, 20; Rom. xii. 1) thou 
wilt make any excuse to serve the turn. Nay, thou wilt be 
so wicked, as to put off Christ time after time, notwithstand- 
ing he is so freely proffered to thee ; a little ground, a few 
oxen, a farm, a wife, a twopenny matter, a play; nay, the 
fear of a mock, a scoff, or a jeer, is of greater weight to 
draw thee back, than the salvation of thy soul to draw thee 
forward. 

8. And thou hast heard that whosoever would be a friend 
of the world, is the enemy of God. James iv. 4. But "thou 
regardest not these things ; but contrariwise, rather than 
thou wilt be out of the friendship and favor of this world, 
thou wilt sin against thine own conscience, and get thyself 
into favor by fawning and flattering the world ; yea, rather 
than thou wilt go without it, thou wilt dissemble, lie, back- 



THE THftEATENINGS OF SCRIPTURE. 259 

bite thy neighbor; and an hundred other tricks thou wilt 
have. 

9. You have heard, that the day of judgment is near; in 
which you and I, and all of us must appear before the tri- 
bunal of Jesus Christ, and there be made to give an account 
to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead, even 
of all that ever we did; yea, of all our sins in thought, word, 
and deed; and shall certainly be damned for them too, if 
we close not in with our Lord Jesus Christ, and what he 
hath done and suffered, for eternal life ; and that not na- 
tionally or traditionally but really and savingly, in the power 
and by the operation of the Spirit, through faith. Eccles. 
xi. 9; Heb. ix. 27; Acts x. 42; xvii. 30, 31; 2 Cor. v. 10; 
Rev. xx. 12. "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand 
before G-od: and the books were opened; and another book 
was opened, which is the book of life : and the dead were 
judged out of those things which were written in the 
books/' There is the book of the creatures, the book of 
conscience, the book of the Lord's remembrance, the book 
of the law, the book of the gospel. Rom. i. 20 ; compared 
with Rom. ii. 12, 15; Rev. xxii. 19; John xii. 48. "Then 
shall he separate them one from another, as a shepherd 
divide th his sheep from the goats. And he shall set the 
sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left; and shall 
say to them on his right hand, Come ye blessed ; but to the 
other, Go, or depart ye cursed." Matt. xxv. 30, 31, 32, 34, 
41. Yet, notwithstanding the scriptures do so plainly and 
plentifully speak of these things, alas ! who is there that is 
weaned from the world, and from his sins and pleasures, to 
fly the wrath to come ! Matt. iii. 7. They are so certain, too ! 
Notwithstanding the scripture saith also, that heaven and 
earth shall pass away, rather than one jot, or one tittle of 
the word shall fail, till all be fulfilled. Luke xvi. 17. 

But leaying the threatenings, let us come to the promises, 
and speak somewhat of them ; and you may see how light 



260 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

men make of them, and how little they set by them, not- 
withstanding the mouth of the Lord hath spoken them. 

As, 1. " Turn ye fools, ye scorners, ye simple ones, at my 
reproof, and behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you." 
Prov. i. 23. And yet persons had rather be in their foolish- 
ness and scorning still, and had rather embrace some filthy 
lust, than the holy, undefiled, and blessed Spirit of Christ, 
through the promise, though by it as many as receive it are 
sealed unto the day of redemption (Eph. iv. 30); and 
although he that lives and dies without it is none of Christ's. 
Rom. viii. 9. 

2. God hath said, if you do but come to him in Christ, 
" though your sins be as red as scarlet, they shall be as 
white as snow ; and he will by no means cast thee away." 
Compare Isa. i. 18, with John vi. 26. Yet poor souls will 
not come to Christ that they might have life (John v. 40); 
but rather, after their hardness and impenitent heart, trea- 
sure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath, 
and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Rom. ii. 
4,5,6. 

3. Christ hath said in the word of truth, That if any man 
will serve and follow him, "where he is, there shall also 
his servant be." John xii. 26. But yet poor souls choose 
rather to follow sin, Satan, and the world, though their 
companions be devils and damned souls for ever. Matt, 
xxv. 41. 

4. He hath also said, " Seek first the kingdom of God, 
and all other things shall be added." Matt. xi. 33. But let 
whoso will seek after the kingdom of heaven first for them ; 
for they will take the first time, while time serves, to get 
the things of this life. And if it be so, that they must 
needs seek after heaven, or else be damned; they must stay 
till they have more leisure, or till they can better attend to 
it, or till they have other things handsome about them, or 
till they are older ; when they have little else to do, or when 



PROMISES OF SCRIPTURE. 261 

they come to be sick and die. Then, ' Lord have mercy 
upon them T though it be ten thousand to one but they 
perish for ever. 

For commonly the Lord hath his way to deal with sinners, 
who put him off when he is striving with them, either to 
laugh at their calamity, and mock when their fear cometh 
(Prov. i. 26, 28) ; or else send them to the gods they have 
served, which are the devils : " Go to the gods ye have 
served/' saith he, "and let them deliver you." Judg. x. 13, 
14. Compare this with John viii. 44. 

5. He hath said, " there is no man that forsaketh father, 
or mother, wife, children, or lands for his sake and the 
gospel's, but he shall have a hundred fold in this world, with 
persecutions, and in the world to come life everlasting." 
Mark x. 29, 30. But men, for the most part, are so far off 
from believing the certainty of this, they will scarce lose the 
earning of a penny to hear the word of God, the gospel of 
salvation. Nay, they will neither go themselves, nor suffer 
others to go (if they can help it), without threatening to do 
them a mischief, if it lie in their way. Nay, further, many 
are so far from parting from any worldly gain for Christ's 
sake and the gospel's, that they are still striving by hook 
and by crook, as we say; by swearing, lying, cozening, 
stealing, covetousness, extortion, oppression, forgery, bribery, 
flattery, or any other way, to get more ; though they get, 
together with these, death, wrath, damnation, hell, the devil, 
and all the plagues that God can pour upon them. And if 
any do not run with them on the same excess of riot, but 
rather for all their threats, will be so bold and careless (as 
they call it) as to follow the ways of God ; if they can do 
no more, yet they will whet their tongues like a sword to 
wound them, and do them the greatest mischief they can, 
both in speaking against them to neighbors, to wives, to 
husbands, to landlords, and raising false reports of them. 
But let such take heed, lest they be in such a state and 



262 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

woful condition as he was in, who said, in vexation and 
anguish of soul, One drop of cold water to cool my tongue ! 
Thus might I add many things out of holy writ, both 
threatenings and promises, besides those heavenly counsels, 
loving reproofs, free invitations to all sorts of sinners, both 
old and young, rich and poor, bond and free, wise and un- 
wise ; all which have been, now are, and it is to be feared, 
as long as this world lasts, will be, trampled under the feet 
of those swine (I call not men), who will continue in the 
same. But take a review of some of them. 

1. Counsel. What heavenly counsel is that where Christ 
saith, "Buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be 
rich ; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, that 
the shame of thy nakedness do not appear ! Kev. iii. 17, 18. 
Also that, " Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the 
waters : yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and 
without price." Isa. lv. 1. "Hear, and your souls shall 
live." Verse 3. "Lay hold of my strength, that you may 
make peace with me; and you shall make peace with me." 
Isa. xxvii. 5. 

2. Instruction. "What instruction is here ! 

"Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed 
is the man that heareth me (saith Christ), watching daily 
at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso 
findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord." 
Prov. viii. 32-35. "Take heed that no man deceive you by 
any means." 2 Thess. ii. 3. "Labor not for the meat that 
perisheth, but for that which endureth unto everlasting 
life." John vi. 27. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate." 
Luke xiii. 24. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and 
thou shalt be saved." Acts xvi. 31. "Believe not every 
spirit, but try the spirits." John iv. 1. "Quench not the 
Spirit." 1 Thess. v. 19. "Lay hold on eternal life." 1 Tim. 
vi. 12. "Let your light so shine before men, that they 
may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is 



COUNSELS AND INSTRUCTIONS. 263 

in heaven." Matt. v. 16. "Take heed and beware of hy- 
pocrisy." Luke xii. 1. "Watch and he sober." 1 Thess. 
v. 6. " Come unto me. Learn of me/' saith Christ. Matt. 
xi. 28, 29. 

3. Forewarning. What forewarning is here ! 
"Because there is wrath beware, lest he take thee away 

with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee." 
Job xxxvi. 18. " Be ye not mockers, lest your bands be 
made strong : for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts 
a consumption even determined upon the whole earth." Isa. 
xxviii. 22. "Beware therefore, lest that come upon you 
that is written j Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and per- 
ish : for, I work a work in your days, which ye shall in no 
ways believe, though a man declare it unto you. "Acts xiii. 
40, 41. "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed 
lest he fall."l Cor. x. 12. "Watch and pray, lest ye enter 
into temptation." Mark xiv. 38. "Let us therefore, fear, 
lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of 
you should seem to come short of it." Heb. iv. 1. " I will 
therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew 
this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of 
Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not." Jude 
5. " Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy 
crown."Rev. iii. 11. 

4. Comfort, What comfort is here ! 

"Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." 
John vi. 37. "Come unto me all ye that labor and are 
heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. xi. 28. "Be 
of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven thee." Matt. ix. 2. 
"I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." Heb. xiii. 5. 
"I have loved thee with an everlasting love."Jer. xxxi. 
3. "I lay down my life, for my sheep." "I am come 
that they may have life, and that they may have it more 
abundantly." John x. 10, 15. "I have heard thee in a 
time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored 



264 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

thee." 2 Cor. vi. 2. "Though your sins he as scarlet, they 
shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, 
they shall be as wool." Isa. i. 18. "I have blotted out, as 
a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud thy sins : 
return unto me; for I have redeemed thee." Isa. xliv. 22. 

5. Grief, to those who fall short. Oh sad grief! 

"How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised 
reproof; and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor 
inclined mine ear to them that instructed me." Prov. v. 12, 
13. "They shall curse their king and their G-od, and look 
upward. And they shall look unto the earth; and behold 
trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall 
be driven to darkness." Isa. viii. 21, 22. "He hath dis- 
persed, he hath given to the poor ; his righteousness endur- 
eth for ever ; his horn shall be exalted with honor. The 
wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his 
teeth, and melt away; the desire of the wicked shall per- 
ish." Psalm cxii. 9, 10. "There shall be weeping, and 
gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, 
and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of Grod, and 
you yourselves thrust out." Luke xiii. 28. All which things 
are slighted by the world. 

Thus much, in short, touching this, that ungodly men un- 
dervalue the scriptures, and give no credit to them, when 
the truth that is contained in them, is held forth in simpli- 
city unto them, but rather cry out, " Nay, but if one should 
rise from the dead," then they think something might be 
done. When, alas ! though signs and wonders are wrought 
by the hands of those that preach the gospel, those poor 
creatures would never the sooner convert, though they sup- 
pose they should ; as is evident by the carriages of their 
forerunners, who although the Lord Jesus himself did con- 
firm his doctrine by miracles, as opening blind eyes, casting 
out devils, and raising the dead, they were so far from re- 
ceiving either him or his doctrine, that they put him to 



WHY MEN SLIGHT THE SCRIPTURES. 265 

death for his pains. Though he had done so many miracles 
among them, yet they believed not in him. John xii. 37. 

But to pass this, I shall lay down some of the grounds 
of men's rejecting and undervaluing the scriptures, and so 
pass on. 

1. Because they do not believe that they are the word of 
God; but rather suppose them to be inventions of men; 
written by some politicians, on purpose to make poor igno- 
rant people submit to some religion and government. 
Though they do not say this, yet their practices testify the 
same; as he that when he hears the words of the curse, yet 
blesseth himself in his heart, and saith, I shall have peace, 
though G-od saith he shall have none. Deut. xxix. 18, 19, 
20. And this must needs be, for did but men believe this, 
that it is the word of Grod, then they must believe, that he 
that spake it is true, therefore shall every word and tittle be 
fulfilled. And if they come once to this, unless they be 
stark mad, they will have a care how they throw themselves, 
under the lash of eternal vengeance. For the reason why 
the Thessalonians received the gospel was, because they be- 
lieved it was the word of Grod, and not the word of man, 
which did effectually work in them by their thus believing. 
1 Thess. ii. 13. "When ye received the word which ye 
heard of us/' saith he, "ye received it not as the word of 
men, but (as it is in truth) the word of Grod, which effectu- 
ally worketh also in you that believe." So that did a man 
but receive it in hearing, or reading, or meditating, as it is 
the word of Grod, they would be converted. "But the word 
preached doth not profit, not being mixed with faith in them 
that hear it." Heb. iv. 2. 

2. Because they do not indeed see themselves by nature 
heirs of that exceeding wrath and vengeance, of which the 
scriptures testify. For did they but consider what God 
intends to do with those that live and die in a natural state, 
it would either sink them into despair, or make them fly for 

23 



286 SIGHS PR03I HELL. 

refuge to the hope that is set before them. * But if there be 
never such sins committed, and ever so great wrath de- 
nounced, and the time of execution be ever so near; yet if 
the party that is guilty be senseless, and altogether ignorant 
thereof, he will be careless, and regard it nothing at all. 
And that man by nature is in this condition is evident. For 
take the same man that is senseless, and ignorant of that 
misery he is in by nature ; I say, take him at another time 
when he is a little awakened; and then you will hear him 
roar, and cry out so long as trouble is upon him, and a sense 
of the wrath of Grod hanging over his head, Good sirs, what 
must I do to be saved ? 

The same man at another time (when his conscience is 
fallen asleep, and grown hard) will lie like the smith's dog 
at the foot of the anvil, though the fire-sparks fly in his face. 
But as I said before when any one is a little awakened, 
what work will one verse, one line, nay, one word of the 
holy scriptures make in his heart ! He cannot eat, sleep, 
work, keep company with his former companions ; and all 
because he is afraid the damnation spoken of in scripture, 
will fall to his share. Like Balaam, who said, " I cannot 
go beyond the word of the Lord" (Numb. xxii. 18), so long- 
as he had something of the word of the Lord with authority, 
severity, and power on his heart ; but at another time he 
could teach Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the 
children of Israel. Rev. ii. 14. 

3. Because the carnal priests do tickle the ears of their 
hearers with vain philosophy and deceit; and thereby harden 
their hearts against the simplicity of the gospel and word 
of G-od. "Which things the apostle admonished those that 
have a mind to close in with Christ to avoid (Col. ii. 8), 
saying, " Beware lest any man (be he what he will) spoil 
you, through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition 
of men, after rudiments of the world, and not after Christ/' 
And you who muzzle up your people in ignorance, with 



WHY MEN SLIGHT THE SCRIPTURES. 267 

Aristotle, Plato, and the rest of the heathenish philosophers, 
and preach little, if any thing, of Christ rightly; I say unto 
you, that you will find that you have sinned against God, 
and beguiled your hearers, when God shall in the judgment- 
day lay the cause of the damnation of many thousands of 
souls to your charge, and say, he will require their blood at 
your hands. 

4. Another reason why the carnal unbelieving world do 
so slight the scriptures, the word of God, is, because the 
judgment spoken of in the scripture, is not presently exe- 
cuted on the transgressors. " Because sentence against an 
evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of 
the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." Eccles. 
viii. 11. Because God cloth not presently strike the poor 
wretch as soon as he sins, but waits, and forbears, and is 
patient ; therefore the world judging God to be unfaithful, 
go to it again and again ; and every time grow harder and 
harder, till at last God is forced either to stretch out his 
mighty power to turn them, or else send death with the 
devil and hell to fetch them. " Thou thoughtest (saith 
God) that I was altogether such an one as thyself : but I 
will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. 
Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in 
pieces, and there be none to deliver." Psalm 1. 21, 22. 

5. Another reason why the blind world do slight the 
authority of scripture, is because they give ear to the devil; 
who through his subtlety caste th false evasions, and corrupt 
interpretations on them, rendering them not so point-blank 
the mind of God, and a rule for direction to poor souls; 
persuading them that they must give ear and way to some- 
thing else besides, and beyond that : or else he labors to 
render it vile and contemptible, by persuading them that it 
is a dead letter ; in which indeed they know not what they 
say, nor whereof they affirm. For the scripture is not so 
dead, but that the knowledge of it is able to make any man 



268 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

wise unto salvation through faith and love, which is in 
Christ Jesus (2 Tim. iii. 15); and is profitable for instruc- 
tion, reproof, and correction in righteousness, that the man 
of G-od may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good 
works. Yerses 16, 17. 

And where it is said " the letter killeth" (2 Cor. iii. 6), 
Paul meaneth the law, as it is " the ministration of con- 
demnation," or a covenant of works. And so indeed it doth 
kill, and must do so, because it is just; forasmuch as the 
party that is under the same, is not able to yield to it a 
complete and continual obedience. But yet I will call Peter 
and Paul to witness, that the scriptures are of a glorious 
concernment, inasmuch as in them is held forth to us the 
way of life ; and also, in that they do administer good ground 
of hope to us, " For whatsoever things were written afore- 
time, were written for our learning; that we through pa- 
tience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." 
Rom. xv. 4. And again, " Now to him that is of power to 
establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of 
Jesus Christ ; according to the revelation of the mystery, 
which was kept secret since the world began, but is now 
made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, accord- 
ing to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known 
to all nations for the obedience of faith." Rom. xvi. 25, 26. 
Compare 2 Peter i. 19-21. And therefore whosoever they 
be that slight the scriptures, they slight that which is no 
less than the word of God; and they who slight that, slight 
him that spake it; and they that do so, let them look to 
themselves : for Grod will be revenged on such. Much more 
might be said to this thing, but I would not be tedious. 

A word or two more, and I have done with this. Con- 
sider the danger of slighting the words of the prophets or 
apostles, whether they be correction, reproof, admonition, 
forewarning, or the blessed invitations and promises con- 
tained in them. 



DANGER OF SLIGHTING THE SCRIPTURES. 269 

1. Such souls do proroke God to anger, and to execute 
his vengeance on them. " They refused to hearken, they 
pulled away their shoulders, they stopped their ears, lest 
they should hear the law; and they made their hearts as an 
adamant stone, that they might not hear the law, and the 
words that were spoken to them by his Spirit in the former 
prophets : Therefore came a great wrath upon them." 
Zech. vii. 11, 12. 

2. God will not regard such in their calamity. " Because I 
have called, and ye refused ; I have stretched out my hand, 
and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my 
counsel, and would have none of my reproof: I also will 
laugh at your calamity : I will mock when your fear cometh ; 
when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction 
eometh as a whirlwind. Then shall they call upon me, but 
I will not answer ; they shall seek me early, but they shall 
not find me." Prov. i. 24-28. 

3. God doth commonly give up such men to delusions to 
believe lies. " Because they received not the love of the 
truth, that they might be saved ;" therefore " God shall 
send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; 
that they all might be damned." 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12. 

4. In a word, they that do continue to reject and slight 
the word of God, they are such, for the most part, as are 
ordained to be damned. Old Eli's sons, not hearkening to 
the voice of their father reproving them for their sins, but 
disobeying his voice, it is said, it was " because the Lord 
would slay them." 1 Sam. ii. 25. Again, see in 2 Chron. 
xxv. 15, 16. Amaziah having sinned against the Lord, he 
sends to him a prophet to reprove him : but Amaziah says, 
"Forbear; why shouldst thou be smitten?" (He did not 
hearken to the word of God) "Then the prophet forebare, 
and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, 
because thou hast not hearkened to my counsel." Bead 
therefore; and the Lord give thee understanding: for a 

23* 



270 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

miserable end will those have that go on in sinning against 
Grod, rejecting his word. 

Other things might have been observed from this verse, 
which at this time I shall pass by; partly, because the sum 
of them hath been touched already, and may be more clearly 
hinted at in the following verse ; and therefore I shall speak 
a few words of the next verse, and so draw towards a con- 
clusion. 



CHAPTER XIV, 



And he said unto hdi, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither wru 

THEY BE PERSUADED THOUGH ONE ROSE FROM THE DEAD. — Verse 31. 



" And he said," that is, And God (through Abraham) 
made answer to the words spoken in the verse before, " And 
he said unto him, If they hear not Moses/' &c. As if he 
had said, 'Moses was a man of great renown, a man of 
worthy note, a man that talked with God face to face, as a 
man speaketh to his friend. The words that Moses spake, 
were such as I commanded him to speak. Let who will 
question them, I will own them, credit them, bless them 
that close in with them, and curse those that reject them. I 
myself sent the prophets, they did not run of their own 
heads; I gave them commission; I thrust them out, and 
told them what they should say. In a word, they have told 
the world what my mind is to do, both to sinners and to 
saints. "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear 
them." Therefore, he that shall reject and turn his back 
either upon the threatenings, counsels, admonitions, invita- 
tions, promises, or whatsoever else I have commanded them 
to speak, as to salvation and life, and to directions therein, 



MIRACLES INEFFICIENT FOR CONVERSION. 271 

shall be sure to have a share in the many curses that they 
have spoken, in the doctrine that is pronounced by them/ 

Again, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets/' &c. 
As if he had said, 'Thou wouldst have me send one from 
the dead unto them. What needs that? They have my 
mind already, I have declared unto them what I intend to 
stand to, both for saving them that believe, and damning 
them that do not. That, therefore, which I have said, I 
will make good, whether they hear or forbear. And as for 
this desire of yours, you had as good desire me to make a 
new Bible ; and so to revoke my first sayings by the mouth 
of the prophets. But I am Grod and not man. And my 
word is immutable, unchangeable, and shall stand as fast as 
my decrees can make it. Heaven and earth shall pass 
away, but one jot or tittle of my word shall not pass. If 
thou hadst ten thousand brethren, and every one in danger 
of losing his soul, if they did not close in with what is con- 
tained and recorded in the scriptures of truth, they must 
even every one of them perish, and be for ever damned in 
hell. For the scriptures cannot be broken. I did not send 
them so unadvisedly as to recall them again by another con- 
sideration. No; for I speak in righteousness and judg- 
ment, in wisdom and counsel. Isa. lxiii. 1—3. It being 
therefore gone out of my mouth in this manner, it shall not 
return until it hath accomplished the thing whereto I have 
sent it. Isa. lv. 11. 

'But again, thou supposest that miracles and wonders 
will work on them; which makes thee say, "Send one from 
the dead." But herein thou art mistaken; for I have 
proven them with that once and again, by more than one, or 
two, or three of my servants. How many miracles did my 
servant Moses work by commandment from me, in the land 
of Egypt, at the Bed Sea, and in the wilderness ? Yet they 
of that generation were never the sooner converted for that ; 
but notwithstanding rebelled and lusted, and in their hearts 



272 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

turned back into Egypt. Acts vii. How many miracles did 
Samuel, David, Elias, Elisha, Daniel, and the prophets work; 
together with my Son, who raised the dead, cast out devils, 
made them to see that were born blind, gave and restored 
limbs? Yet for all this (as I said before) they hated him 
and crucified him. I raised him again from the dead, and 
he appeared to his disciples, who were called, and chosen, 
and faithful, and gave them commandment and commission 
to go and testify the truth of this to the world ; and to con- 
firm the same, he enabled them to speak with divers tongues, 
and to work miracles most plentifully ; yet there was great 
persecution raised against them, insomuch that but a few of 
them died in their beds. Therefore, though thou thinkest 
that a miracle will do so much with the world, yet I say, 
No: for "if they will not believe Moses and the prophets, 
neither will they be persuaded though one should rise from 
the dead." ; 

From these words, therefore, take notice of this truth ; 
namely, That those who reject and oelieve not Moses and the 
prophets, are a very hard-hearted people, that will not he 
persuaded though one rise from the dead. 

They that regard not the holy scriptures, to turn to God, 
finding them to testify of his goodness and mercy, there is 
but little hope of their salvation: "For they will not," 
mark, " they will not be persuaded though one should rise 
from the dead." This truth is confirmed by Jesus himself. 
If you read John v., where the Lord is speaking of himself, 
that he is the very Christ, he brings in four or five witnesses 
to back what he said; 1. John the Baptist. 2. The works 
that his Father gave him to do. 3. His Father speaking 
from heaven. 4. The testimony of the scriptures. When 
all this was done, seeing yet they would not believe, he lays 
the fault upon one of these two things. 1. Their regarding 
an esteem among men. 2. Their not believing the pro- 
phets' writings, even Moses and the rest. " For had ye be- 



DANGER OF DESPISING THE SCRIPTURES. 273 

lieved Moses/' saith lie, "ye would have believed me; for 
lie wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how can 
ye believe my words ?" 

Now, I say, he that shall slight the scriptures, and the 
testimony of the prophets in them concerning Jesus Christ, 
must needs be in great danger of losing his soul, if he abide 
in this condition ; because he that slights the testimony, 
doth also slight the thing testified of, let him say the contrary 
ever so often. For as Jesus Christ hath here laid down the 
reason of men's not receiving him, so the apostle John, in 
another place, lays down the reason again, with a high and 
mighty aggravation, (1 John v. 10,) saying, "He that be- 
lieveth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself: he 
that believeth not God, hath made him a liar; because he 
believeth not the record (mark, "the record) that God gave 
of his Son." The record? you will say, what is that? 
Why even the testimony that G-od gave of him, "by the 
mouth of all his holy prophets, since the world began." Acts 
iii. 21. That is, God sending his Holy Spirit into the hearts 
of his servants, the prophets and apostles, he, by his Spirit 
in them, did bear witness, or record, to the truth of salvation 
by his Son Jesus, both before and after his coming. And 
thus is that place also to be understood, which saith, " There 
are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the 
water, and the blood;" that is, the Spirit in the apostles, 
which preached him to the world; as is clear, if you read 
seriously 1 Thess. iv. 8. The apostle speaking of Jesus 
Christ, and obedience through him, saith thus, Now, he that 
despiseth, despiseth not us, but God. 'But it is you that 
speak/ 'True; but it is by and through the Spirit: "He 
therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God., who 
hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit." This is, there- 
fore, a mighty confirmation of this truth, that he that slights 
the record or testimony that God by his Spirit, in his pro- 
phets and apostles, hath testified unto us, slights the testi- 



274 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

mony of the Spirit, who moved them to speak these things; 
and if so, then I would fain know, how any man can he 
saved by Jesus Christ, that slights the testimony concerning 
Christ; yea, the testimony of his own Spirit, concerning his 
own self? It is true, men may pretend to have the testi- 
mony of the Spirit, and from that conceit, set a low esteem 
on the holy scriptures ; but that spirit that dwelleth in them, 
and teacheth them so to do, is no better than the spirit of 
Satan, though it calls itself by the name of the Spirit of 
Christ. "To the law therefore, and to the testimony;" try 
them by that; " if they speak not according to this word, it 
is because there is no light in them." 

The apostle Peter, when he speaks of the glorious voice 
that he had from the excellent Majesty, saying of Christ, 
" This is my beloved Son, hear him," saith thus to them 
unto whom he wrote : " "We have also a more sure word of 
prophecy" (or, " of the prophets," for so you may read it), 
"whereunto ye do well that ye take heed." That is, 
though we tell you that we had this excellent testimony 
from his own mouth, evidently; yet you have the prophets. 
We tell you this, and ye need not doubt of the truth of it; 
but if you should, yet you may not, must not, ought not to 
question them. Search therefore into them, until the day 
dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts ; that is, until, 
by the same Spirit that gave forth the scriptures you find 
the truth confirmed to your souls, which you have found 
recorded in the scriptures. That this word of prophecy, 
or of the prophets, is the scriptures, read on : For (saith 
he) " Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture 
is of any private interpretation," &c. 2 Peter i. 18, 19, 20. 

But you will say, "What needs all this ado ; and why is 
all this time and pains spent in speaking of this, that is 
surely believed already ? This is a thing received by all, 
that they believe the scriptures to be the word of Gi-od, that 
sure word of prophecy; and therefore you need not spend 



FEW REALLY BELIEVE THE SCRIPTURES. 275 

your time in proving these things, and the truth of them, 
seeing we grant and confess the truth of it before you 
begin to speak your judgment of them. 

I answer, 1. The truths of God cannot be borne witness 
unto too often. You may as well say, 'You need not preach 
Jesus Christ so much, seeing he hath been, and is, received 
for the true Messiah already/ 

2. Though many may suppose that they do believe the 
scriptures, yet if they were but well examined, you will find 
them either by word of mouth, or else by their conduct, to 
deny, reject, and slight the holy scriptures. It is true, there 
is a notional, and historical assent in the head, I say, in 
the heads of many, or most, to the truth contained in scrip- 
ture. But try them, I say, and you shall find but a little, 
if any, of the faith of the operation of Grod in the hearts of 
poor men to believe the scriptures, and things contained in 
them. Many, yea, most men, believe the scriptures, as 
they believe a fable, a story, a tale, of which there is no 
certainty. But alas ! there are but few do indeed and in 
truth believe the scriptures to be the very word of G-od. 

Object. But you will say, This seems strange to me. 

Answ. And it seems as true to me : and I doubt not but 
to make it manifest, that there are but few, yea, very few, 
that do effectually (for that I aim at) 'believe the scriptures, 
and the truths contained in, and spoken of by them. But 
to make this appear, and that to purpose (if God will), I 
shall lay you down the several operations that the scriptures 
have on them who do effectually believe the things contained 
in them. 

1. He that doth effectually believe the scriptures, hath, 
in the first place, been killed; I say, killed by the authority 
of the holy scriptures ; struck stark dead in a spiritual sense, 
by the holy scriptures being set home by that Spirit which 
gave them forth upon the soul. "The letter killeth;" the 
letter strikes men dead. 2 Cor. iii. 6. And this Paul wit- 



276 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

nessed and found (before he could say, I believe all that the 
prophets have spoken), where he saith, "I was alive without 
the law once ;" that is, in my natural state, before the law 
was set on my heart with power. " But when the com- 
mandment came, sin revived, and I died." Rom. vii. 9. " And 
that law that was ordained to life, I found to be unto death; 
for sin taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, 
and by it slew me." Verses 10, 11. Now that which is 
called the " letter," in 2 Cor. iii. is called " the law" in 
Rom. vii. j which by its power and operation, as it is wielded 
by the Spirit of G-od, doth in the first place kill and slay all 
those that are enabled to believe the scriptures. "I kill," 
saith G-od ; that is, With my law I pierce, I wound, I prick 
men into the very heart, by showing them their sins against 
the law. Deut. xxxii. 39; Acts ii. 36, 37. And he that is 
ignorant of this, is also ignorant of, and doth not really and 
effectually believe the scriptures. 

Inq. But you will say, How doth the law kill and strike 
dead the poor creatures ? 

Answ. The letter or law doth kill thus : It is set home 
upon the soul, and discovers to the soul its transgressions 
against the law; and shows the soul also, that it cannot 
completely satisfy the justice of God for the breach of his 
law; therefore it is condemned. John iii. 18. Mark, "He 
that believe th not is condemned already;" namely, by the 
law ; that is, the law doth condemn him ; yea, it hath con- 
demned him already for his sins against it ; as it is written, 
" Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which 
are written in the book of the law to do them." GUI. iii. 10. 
Now all men, as they come into the world, are in this con- 
dition, that is, condemned by the law; yet not believing 
their condemnation by the law really, they do not also 
believe really and effectually the law that doth condemn 
them. For as men have but a notion of the one, that is, 
their condemnation, because of sins against the law; so they 



POWER OF THE LAW WHEN BELIEVED. 277 

have but a notion of the condemning, killing, and destroy- 
ing power of the law : For, as the one is, so in these things 
always is the other. There is no man that doth really 
believe the law or gospel, further than they do feel the 
power and authority of them in their hearts. " Ye err, not 
knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God." Now, this 
letter, or law, is not to be taken in the largest sense, but is 
strictly to be tied to the ten commandments, whose proper 
work is only by showing the soul its sin against the law, to 
kill ; and there leaves him stark dead ; not giving him the 
least life, or support, or comfort. It leaves the soul in a 
helpless and hopeless condition, as from itself, or any other 
mere creature. 

It is true, the law hath laid all men for dead as they 
come into the world; but all men do not see themselves 
dead, until they see the law that struck them dead striking 
in their souls, and having struck them that fatal blow. As 
a man that is fast asleep in a house, and that on fire about 
his ears, and he not knowing it, because he is asleep; even 
so, because poor souls are asleep in sin, though the wrath 
of God, the curse of his~ law, and the flames of hell have 
beset them round about, yet they do not believe it, because 
they are asleep in sin. Now, as he that is awakened and 
sees this, sees that through this he is a dead man ; even so 
they that do see their state by nature being such a sad con- 
dition, do also see themselves by that law to be dead men 
naturally. 

But now, when didst thou feel the power of this first 
part of the scripture, the law, so mighty as to strike thee 
dead ? If not, thou dost not so much as verily believe that 
part of scripture, that doth contain the law in it, to be the 
truth of God. 

2, Yet if thou shouldst have felt something; I say, some- 
thing of the killing power of the law of God in thine heart, 
this is not an argument to prove, that thou believest all the 

24 



278 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

things contained in the scripture, for there is gospel as well 
as law ; and therefore I shall speak of that also ; that is, 
whether thou hast felt the power of the gospel, as well as 
something of the power of the law. 

If then thou hast found the power of the gospel and so 
"believed it j thou hast found it thus with thy soul : 

(1.) Thou hast been showed by the word of truth, of the 
gospel, in the light of the Spirit of Christ, that by nature 
thou wert without the true faith of the Spirit of Christ ; 
that by nature thou wert without the true faith of the Son 
of G-od in thy soul. ( For when the Spirit is come/ says 
Christ, 'he shall show men that they believe not in me.' 
John xvi. 9. Mark, though thou hast, as I said before, felt 
somewhat of the power of the law, letter, or ten command- 
ments, yet, as thou hast not been brought to this, to see by 
the Spirit in the gospel, that thou art without faith by 
nature, thou hast not yet tasted, much less believed any part 
of the gospel. For the gospel and the law are two distinct 
covenants : and they that are under the law may be con- 
vinced by it, and so believe the law or first covenant, and 
yet in the mean time be a stranger to the covenant of 
promise, that is, the gospel, and so have no hope in them. 
Eph. ii. 12. There is not any promise that can be savingly 
believed, until the soul be by the gospel converted to Jesus 
Christ, For though men do think ever so much that they 
believe the things, or the word, of the gospel tf our salva- 
tion, yet unless they have the work of grace in their souls, 
they do not, cannot, rightly believe the things contained in 
the scriptures. 

(2.) Again, as the law killeth those that believe it, even so 
the promises contained in the gospel, do through faith ad- 
minister comfort to those that believe it aright. a 3Iy words/' 
saith Christ, " my words, they are spirit and they are life." 
John vi. 63. As if he had said, i The words contained in 
the law as a covenant of works, they wound, they kill, they 



POWER OF THE GOSPEL WHEN BELIEVED. 270 

strike dead those that are under them. But as for me, 
"The words that I speak unto you ; they are spirit, and they 
are life." That is, whosoever doth receive them believingly, 
shall find them full of operation, to comfort, quicken, and 
revive the soul. For as I did not come into the world to 
destroy men's lives, so the words that I speak (as I am sent 
to preach the gospel), they have no such tendency unto 
those that believe them. The promises that are in the 
gospel, ! how do they comfort them ! Such a promise, 
and such a promise, how sweet is it ! How comfortable 
to those that believe them !' Alas there are many poor souls 
that think they believe the scriptures to be the word of God, 
and yet they never enjoyed any thing of the life of the 
promises. They come in upon the heart to quicken, to revive 
thee, to raise thee from the sentence of death that is passed 
on thee by the law. And through the faith that is wrought 
in thy soul, by the operation of God's Holy Spirit (though 
once killed by the law or letter), thou art made alive in the 
Lord Jesus Christ, who is presented to thy soul in the 
promises. 

3. Dost thou in deed and in truth believe the scriptures 
to be the word of God? Then the things contained in 
them, especially the things of the gospel, are very excellent to 
thy soul ; as the birth of Christ, his death, resurrection, in- 
tercession, and second coming. how precious and excel- 
lent are they to thy soul ! Insomuch, that thou regardest 
nothing in comparison of them ! 0, it is Christ's birth, 
blood, death, resurrection, &c, according to the scriptures, 
that thou dost rejoice in exceedingly, and abundantly desire ! 
" Whom having not seen, ye love ; in whom, though now 
ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice, with joy unspeak- 
able, and full of glory." 1 Cor. xv. 1-6, compared with 
Phil. iii. 6, 7, 8; 1 Peter i. 8. 

4. Dost thou believe the scriptures to be the word of 
God ? Then thou standest in awe of, and dost much reve- 



280 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

rence them. Why, they are the word of God, the true say- 
ings of God j they are the counsel of God ; they are his 
promises and his threatenings. Poor souls are apt to think, 
'if I could hear God speak to me from heaven with an audi- 
ble voice, then sure I should be serious and believe it/ But 
truly, if God should speak to thee from heaven, except thou 
wert converted, thou wouldst not regard, nor really believe 
him. But if thou dost believe the scriptures, thou seest that 
they are the truth, as really as if God should speak to thee 
from heaven through the clouds; and therefore never flatter 
thyself, foolishly thinking, that if it were so and so, then 
thou couldst believe. I tell thee, saith Christ, "If they 
believe not 3Ioses and the prophets, neither will they believe 
though one should rise from the dead." But, 

5. Dost thou believe the scriptures to be the word of 
God? Then through faith in Christ, thou endeavorest to 
have thy life squared according to the scriptures, both in 
word and practice. Nay ; I say, thou mayst have, though 
thou do not believe them all. My meaning is, that if thou 
believe none but the ten commandments, thy life may be 
according to them, a legal holy life; and if thou do believe 
the gospel too, then thy life will be by the faith of our Lord 
Jesus Christ j that is, either thou wilt live in the blessed 
and holy enjoyment of what is testified in the scripture con- 
cerning the glorious things of the Lord Jesus Christ, or else 
thou wilt be exceedingly panting after them. For the 
scriptures carry such a blessed beauty in them to that soul 
that hath faith in the things contained in them, that they do 
take the heart and captivate the soul of him that believeth 
them, into the love and liking of them. "Believing all 
things that are written in the law and the prophets : and 
have hope toward God, that there shall be a resurrection of 
the dead, both of the just and unjust. And herein do I 
exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence, 
both toward God and toward man." Acts xxiv. 14, 15, 16. 



POWER OF THE SCRIPTURES. 281 

6. * He that believes the scriptures to be the word of God, 
if he do but suppose that any one place of scripture doth ex- 
clude him, and shut him out of and from a share in the pro- 
mises contained in them, it will trouble him, grieve him, 
perplex him; yea, he will not be satisfied until he be re- 
solved, and the contrary sealed to his soul. For he knows 
that the scriptures are the word of God, all truth; and 
therefore he knows, that if any one sentence doth exclude 
or bar him out for want of this or the other qualification, he 
knows also, that not the word alone shuts him out, but he 
that speaks it, even God himself. And therefore he cannot, 
will not, dare not, be contented until he finds his soul and 
scripture together (with the things contained therein), to 
embrace each other, and a sweet correspondency and agree- 
ment between them. For you must know, that to him that 
believes the scriptures aright, the promises, or threatening 's, 
are of more power to comfort or cast down, than all the 
promises or threatening s of all the men in the world. And 
this was the cause why the martyrs of Jesus did so slight 
both the promises of their adversaries, when they would 
have overcome them with proffering the great things of this 
world unto them; and also their threatenings, when they 
told them they would rack them, hang them, burn them. 
Acts xx. 24. None of these things could prevail upon 
them, or against them; because they did most really be- 
lieve the scriptures, and the things contained in them, as is 
clearly found, and to be seen in Heb. xi. and also in Mr. 
Fox's records of their brethren, in the Book of Martyrs. 

7. He that belie veth the scriptures to be the word of 
God, believeth that men must be born again, and also be 
partakers of that faith which is of the operation of God 
(according as he hath read and believed), or else he must 
and shall be damned. And he that believeth this aright, 
will not be contented until (according as it is written) he do 
partake of, and enjoy the new birth, and until he do find 

24* 



282 SIGHS PROM HELL. 

through grace, that faith that is wrought by the operation of 
God in Ms soul. For this is the cause why men do satisfy 
themselves with so slender a conceited hope that their state 
is good (when it is nothing so), namely, because they do 
not credit the scripture; for did they, they would look into 
their own hearts, and examine seriously whether that faith, 
that hope, that grace, which they think they have, be of 
that nature, and wrought by that Spirit and power which 
the scripture speaketh of. I speak this of an effectual be- 
lieving, without which all other is nothing unto salvation. 

Now then, because I would not be tedious, I shall at this 
time lay down no more discoveries of such an one as doth 
savingly believe the scriptures, and the things contained in 
them, but shall speak a few words of examination concern- 
ing the things already mentioned. As, 

Thou sayest thou dost in deed and in truth effectually be- 
lieve the scriptures : I ask therefore, wast thou ever killed 
stark dead by the law of works contained in the scriptures ? 
Killed by the law or letter, and made to see thy sins against 
it, and left in a helpless condition by the law? For, as I 
said, the proper work of the law is to slay the soul and to 
leave it dead in a helpless state. For it doth neither give 
the soul any comfort itself when it comes, nor doth it show 
the soul where comfort is to be had; and therefore is called 
the " ministration of condemnation," as in 2 Cor. iii. 9 ; 
"the ministration of death." 2 Cor. iii. 7. For though men 
have many a notion of the blessed word of Glod, as the children 
of Israel had, yet before they be converted, it may truly be 
said of them, " Ye do err not knowing the scriptures, nor 
the power of God." 

You say you do believe the scriptures to be the word of 
Glod. I say again, examine, wert thou ever quickened from 
a dead state by the power of the Spirit of Christ through the 
other part of the scriptures; that is to say, by the power of 
(rod in his Son Jesus Christ, through the covenant of pro- 



HELPS TO SELF-EXAMINATION. 283 

lxiise ? I tell thee from the Lord, if thou hast, thou hast felt 
such a quickening power in the words of Christ (John vi. 
63), that thou hast been lifted out of that dead condition that 
thou before wert in; and that when thou wast under the 
guilt of sin, the curse of the law, and the power of the devil, 
and the justice of the great God, thou hast been enabled by 
the power of God in Christ revealed to thee by the Spirit, 
through and by the scripture, to look sin, death, hell, the 
devil, and the law, and all things that are at enmity with 
thee, with boldness and comfort in the face, through the 
blood, death, righteousness, resurrection, and intercession of 
Christ, made mention of in the scriptures. 

And, on this account, how excellent' are the scriptures 
to thy soul ! how much virtue dost thou see in such a 
promise, in such an invitation! They are so large thou 
canst say, ( Christ will in no wise cast me out ! My crimson 
sins shall be as white as snow !' I tell thee, friend, there 
are some promises that the Lord hath helped me to lay hold 
of, through, and by. Jesus Christ, that I would not have 
them out of the Bible for as much gold and silver as can lie 
between York and London, piled up to the stars; because 
through them Christ is pleased, by his Spirit, to convey 
comfort to my soul. I say, when the law curses, when the 
devil tempts, when hell-fire flames in my conscience; my 
sins, with the guilt of them, tearing me; then is Christ re- 
vealed so sweetly to my poor soul through the promises, 
that all is forced to fly and leave off to accuse my soul. So 
also, when the world frowns, when the enemies rage and 
threaten to kill me, then also the precious, the exceeding 
great and precious promises do weigh down all, and comfort 
the soul against all. This is the effect of believing the 
scriptures savingly; for they that do so, have through the 
scriptures good comfort, and also ground of hope (Rom. xv. 
4), — believing those things to be its own which the scrip- 
tures hold forth. 



284 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

Examine, Dost thou stand in awe of sinning against 
God, because he hath in the. scriptures commanded thee to 
abstain from it ? Dost thou give diligence to make thy call- 
ing and election sure, because Grod commandeth it in the 
scriptures ? Dost thou examine thyself whether thou be in 
the faith or no, having a command in scripture so to do ? 
Or dost thou (notwithstanding what thou readest in the 
scriptures) follow the world, delight in sin, neglect coming 
to Jesus Christ, speak evil of the saints, slight and make a 
mock at the ordinances of G-od, delight in wicked company, 
and the like ? Then know, that it is because thou dost not 
in deed and in truth believe the scriptures effectually. For 
as I said before, if a man do believe them, and that savingly, 
then he stands in awe; he looks to his steps; he turns his 
feet from evil; and endeavors to follow that which is good, 
which G-od hath commanded in the scriptures of truth. Yet 
not from a legal or natural principle; that is, to seek for 
life by doing that good thing; but knowing that salvation is 
already obtained for him by the blood of that man Christ 
Jesus on the cross, because he believes the scriptures; 
therefore, (mark, I pray,) therefore I say, he labors to walk 
with his God in all well-pleasing and godliness, because the 
sweet power of the love of Christ, which he feels in his soul 
by the Spirit according to the scriptures, constrains him so 
to do. 2 Cor. v. 14. 

Examine again, Dost thou labor after those qualifica- 
tions by which the scriptures do describe a child of God ? 
that is, faith, yea, the right faith, the most holy faith, the 
faith of the operation of Grod ? And also, dost thou ex- 
amine whether there is a real growth of grace in thy soul, 
as in love, zeal, self-denial; and a seeking by all means to 
attain (if possible) to the resurrection of the dead? that is, 
not to satisfy thyself until thou be dissolved and rid of this 
body of death, and be transformed into that glory that the 
saints shall be in after the resurrection day ? And in the mean 



HELPS TO SELF-EXAMINATION. 285 

time dost thou labor and take all opportunities to walk as 
near as may be to the pitch, though thou know thou canst 
not attain it perfectly? Yet I say, thou dost aim at it, seek 
after it, press toward it, and hold on in thy race 3 thou shun- 
nest that which may any way hinder thee, and also closest 
in with what may any way further the same; knowing that 
that must be, or desiring that it should be, thine eternal 
frame ; and therefore out of love and liking to it thou dost 
desire and long after it, as being the thing that doth most 
please thy soul. 

Or how is it with thy soul? Art thou such an one as 
regards not these things; but rather busy thy thoughts 
about the things here below; following those things that 
have no scent of divine glory upon them? If so, look to 
thyself, thou art an unbeliever, and so under the wrath of 
G-od, and wilt for certain fall into the same place of torment 
that thy fellows have fallen into before thee, to the grief of 
thy own soul, and thy everlasting destruction. 

Consider and regard these things, and lay them to thy 
heart before it be too late to recover thyself, by repenting 
of the one, and desiring to close in with the other. Oh ! 
I say, regard, regard; for hell is hot ! Grod's hand is up ! The 
law is resolved to discharge against thy soul ! The judg- 
ment-day is at hand ! the graves are ready to fly open ! the 
trumpet is near the sounding! the sentence will, ere long 
be past, and then you and I cannot call time again ! 

3. But again. Seeing the scriptures are so certain, so sure, 
so irrevocable and firm, and seeing the saving faith of the 
things contained therein is to reform the soul, and bring it 
over to the things of G-od ; really conforming to the things 
contained therein, both to the point of justification, and also 
an impartial walking, and giving up thy soul and body to a 
conformity to all the commands, counsels, instructions, and 
exhortations contained therein; this then, will teach us how 
to judge of those who give up themselves to walk in the 



286 



SIGHS FItOM HELL. 



imaginations of their own hearts, who slight and lay aside 
the scriptures, counting them hut empty and uncertain 
things, and will live every day in open contradiction to what 
is contained, commanded, and forbidden therein. 

As, First, This will show us that all your drunkards, 
whorem asters, liars, thieves, swearers, backbiters, slander- 
ers, scoffers at goodness, &c, are unbelievers; I say, we may 
see by this, that they that live so, have not the faith of the 
scriptures in their hearts; seeing they delight to practise 
those things that are forbidden by and in them. And so 
they continuing, living and dying in this state, we may 
conclude, without fear, that these portions of holy scripture 
belong unto them, and shall for certain be fulfilled upon 
them; " He that believeth not shall be damned." Mark xvi. 
16. "The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of 
God." 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. "But the unbelieving, the abomi- 
nable, and the whoremongers, and x all liars, shall have their 
part in the lake that -"burnetii with fire and brimstone." Rev. 
xxi. 8. "Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared 
for the devil and his angels." Matt. xxv. 41. ' Depart, 
depart from me, for I will not save you ! Depart, for my 
blood shall not at all wash you ! Depart, for you shall not 
set one foot into the kingdom of heaven ! Depart, ye 
cursed ! Ye are cursed of God, cursed of his law, cursed of 
me, cursed by the saints, and cursed by the angels, cursed 
all over, nothing but. cursed ; and therefore depart from me V 
i And whither V ' Into everlasting fire ; fire that will scald, 
scorch, burn, and flame to purpose; "fire that shall never 
be quenched (Mark ix.); fire that will last to all eternity/ 
'And must we be all alone?' 'No; you shall have com- 
pany, store of company with you; namely, all the raging, 
roaring devils, together with an innumerable company of 
fellow-damned sinners, men, women, and children.' — And if 
the scriptures be true (as they will one day wonderfully 
appear to be), then this must, and shall, be thy portion, if 



DOOM OF UNBELIEVERS. 287 

thou live and die in this state, and of all of them who continue 
in sinning against the truth contained in the scriptures. 

Dost thou delight to sin against plain commands ? Thou 
art gone ! 

Dost thou slight and scorn the counsels contained in the 
scriptures, and continue in so doing ? Then thou art gone ! 

Dost thou continually neglect to come to Christ, and use 
arguments in thine own heart to satisfy thy soul with so 
doing? Then thou art gone! Luke xiv. 17, 18, compared 
with verse 24, and Heb. ii. 3. " How shall we escape if we 
neglect so great salvation?" " How shall we escape ?" that 
is, There is no way to escape; 1. Because G-od hath said we 
shall not. Heb. xii. 25. "See that ye refuse not him that 
speaketh; for if they escaped not who refused him that 
spake on earth (that was Moses), much more shall not we 
escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from hea- 
ven." 2. Because he hath not only said, they shall not, 
but also hath bound it with an oath, saying, " So I sware 
in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest." Heb. iii. 
11. To whom did he swear that they should not enter into 
his rest? Answer, "To them that believed not." "So we 
see they could not enter in, because of unbelief." Ver. 18, 19. 

Secondly, This will teach us what to think and conclude 
of such, as though they do not so openly discover their folly 
by open and gross sins against the law, yet will give more 
heed to their own spirits and movings thereof (though they 
be neither commanded, nor commended for the same in 
scripture; nay, though the scripture command and commend 
the contrary, Isa. viii. 20) than they will to the holy and 
revealed will of G-od. I say, such men are in as bad a state 
as the other to the full, being disobedient to God's will 
revealed in his word as well as they, though in a different 
manner; the one openly transgressing against the plain and 
well known truths revealed in it; the other, though more 
close and hidden, yet secretly rejecting and slighting them, 



288 SIGHS FROM HELL. 

giving more heed to their own spirits, and the motions 
thereof, although not warranted by the scriptures. 
A few words more, and so I shall conclude. And, 

1. Take heed that you content not yourselves with a bare 
notion of the scriptures in your heads ; by which you may 
go far, even so far as to be able to dispute for the truth, to 
preach the gospel, and labor to vindicate it in opposition to 
gainsay ers, and yet be found at the left hand of Christ at 
the judgment-day, forasmuch as thou didst content thyself 
with a notion or traditional knowledge of them. 

2. Have a care that thou own the whole scripture; and 
not own one part and neglect another, or slight it. As 
thus, to own the law, and slight the gospel, or to think that 
thou must be saved by thy good doings and works; for 
that is all one as if thou didst thrust Christ away from 
thee; or else so to own the gospel, as if by it thou wert 
exempted from all obedience to the ten commandments, 
and conformity to the law in life and conversation ; for 
in so doing, thou wilt for certain make sure of eternal 
vengeance. 

3. Have a care that thou put not wrong names on the 
things contained in the scriptures, so as to call the law 
Christ, and Christ the law. For some having done so 
(within my knowledge), have so darkened to themselves the 
glorious truths of the gospel, that in a very little time they 
have been resolved to thwart and oppose them ; and so have 
made room in their souls for the devil to inhabit, and ob- 
tained a place in hell, for their own souls to be tormented 
for ever and ever. 

Against this danger therefore, in reading and receiving 
the testimony of scripture, learn to distinguish between the 
law and the gospel, and to keep them clear asunder, as to 
the salvation of thy soul. And that thou mayst so do, in 
the first place, beg of G-od that he would show thee the 
nature of the gospel, and set it home effectually with life 



CONCLUDING CAUTIONS. 289 

and power upon thy soul by faith ; which is this, That God 
would show thee, that as thou, being man, hast sinned 
against God ; so Christ being God-man, hath bought thee 
again, and with his most precious blood set thee free from 
the bondage thou hast fallen into by thy sins ; and that not 
upon condition that thou wilt do thus and thus, and this and 
the other good work ; but rather, that thou being justified 
freely by mere grace through the blood of Jesus, shouldst 
also receive thy strength from him who hath bought thee, 
to walk before him in all well-pleasing; being enabled 
thereto by virtue of his Spirit, which hath revealed to thy 
soul that thou art delivered already from wrath to come, by 
the obedience, not of thee, but of another man, viz. Jesus 
Christ. 

Then, if the law thou readest of, tell thee in thy con- 
science, thou must do this and the other good work of the 
law, if ever thou wilt be saved; answer plainly, That for 
thy part thou art resolved now not to work for life, but to 
believe in the virtue of that blood shed upon the cross, upon 
Mount Calvary, for the remission of sins. And yet be- 
cause Christ hath justified thee freely by his grace, thou wilt 
serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of thy 
life ; not in a legal spirit, or in a covenant of works ; but 
'mine obedience (say thou) I will endeavor to have free, 
and cheerful, out of love to my Lord Jesus.' 

Have a care thou receive not this doctrine in the notion 
only ; lest thou bring a just damnation upon thy soul by 
professing thyself to be freed by Christ's blood from the 
guilt of sin, while thou remainest still a servant to the filth 
of sin. For I must tell you, that unless you have the true 
and saving work of the faith and grace of the gospel in your 
hearts, you will either go on in a legal holiness, according to 
the tenor of the law ; or else, through a notion of the gospel 
(the devil bewitching and beguiling thy understanding, will, 
and affections), thou wilt, ranter-like, turn the grace of God 

25 



290 SIGHS FItOM HELL. 

into wantonness, and bring upon thy soul double, if not 
triple damnation. Because thou couldst not be contented to 
be damned for thy sins against the law, but also to make 
ruin sure to thy soul, thou wouldst dishonor the gospel, and 
turn the grace of God held forth and discovered to men by 
that, into licentiousness. 

But that thou mayst be sure to escape these dangerous 
rocks on the right hand and on the left, see that thy faith 
be such as is spoken of in the scriptures; and that thou be 
not satisfied without that ; which is a faith wrought by the 
mighty operation of God, revealing Christ to, and in thee, 
as having wholly freed thee from thy sins by his most 
precious blood. Which faith, if thou attain unto it, will so 
work in thy heart, that first thou wilt see the nature of the 
law, and also the nature of the gospel, and delight in the 
glory of it; and also thou wilt find an engaging of thy heart 
and soul to Jesus Christ, even to the giving up of thy whole 
being unto him, to be ruled and governed by him to his 
glory, and thy comfort, by the faith of the Lord Jesus. 



THE 



RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, 

AND 

ETERNAL JUDGMENT; 

OR, 



AT THE LAST DAT, 

D by god's word: 



THE MANNER AND ORDER OF THEIR COMING FORTH OF THEIR 
GRAVES ' } AS ALSO, WITH WHAT BODIES THEY DO ARISE I 



WITH A DISCOURSE OF THE LAST JUDGMENT, AND THE FINAL 
CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD. 



(291) 



TO THE READER. 



Courteous Reader, 

Though this be a small treatise, yet it doth present thee 
with things of the greatest and most weighty concernment, 
even with a discourse of life and death to eternity j opening 
and clearing, by the scriptures of God, that the time is at 
hand, when there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both 
of the just and unjust ; even of the bodies of both, from the 
graves where they are, or shall be, at the approach of that 
day. 

Thou hast also in these few lines, the order and manner 
of the rising of these two sorts of people ; wherein is showed 
thee with what body they shall then rise; as also, their 
states and condition at that day, with great clearness. 

For here thou shalt see the truth and manner of the terri- 
ble judgment, the opening of the books, the examining of 
witnesses, with a final conclusion upon good and bad. Which, 
I hope, will be profitable to thy soul that shall read it. For 
if thou art godly, then here is that which will, through God's 
blessing, encourage thee to go on in the faith of the truth 
of the gospel; but if thou art ungodly, then, here thou 
mayst meet with conviction ; yea, and that of what will be, 
without fail, thy end at the end of the world, whether thou 
continue in thy sins, or repent. If thou continue in them, 
blackness and darkness, and everlasting destruction ; but if 
thou repent and believe the gospel, then light, and life, and 
joy, and comfort, and glory, and happiness, and that to 
eternity. 

25* (293) 



294 TO THE READER. 

Wherefore, let me here beg these things at thy hand : 

First, That thou take heed of that spirit of mockery, that 
saith, " "Where is the promise of his coming V 

Secondly, Take heed that thy heart be not overcharged 
with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, 
and so that day come upon thee unawares. But 

Thirdly, Be diligent in making thy calling and elec- 
tion sure; that thou, in the day of which thou shalt read 
more in this book, be not found without that glorious 
righteousness that will then stand thee in stead, and present 
thee before his glorious presence, with exceeding joy. To 
him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, world without 
end. Amen. 

JOHN BUNYAN. 



THE 



KESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, 



ETERNAL JUDGMENT 



CHAPTER I. 

EXPOSITION OF THE TEXT. 

But this I CONFESS unto thee, that after THE WAT which they call heresy, so wor- 
ship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the 

LAW AND IN THE PROPHETS : AND HAVE HOPE TOWARD GOD, WHICH THEY THEMSELVES 
ALSO ALLOW, THAT THERE SHALL BE A RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, BOTH OF THE JUST 

and unjust. — Acts xxiv. 14, 15. 

My discourse upon this text, will chiefly concern the Res- 
urrection of the Dead; wherefore to that I shall immedi- 
ately apply myself, not meddling with what else is couched 
in the words. 

You see here that Paul, being, upon his arraignment, ac- 
cused of many things, by some Jews that were violent for 
his blood; and being permitted to speak for himself, by 
the then heathen magistrate ; doth in few words tell them, 
that as touching the crimes wherewith they charged him, he 
was utterly faultless. Only this he confessed, That after 
that way which they call heresy, so he worshipped the G-od 
of his fathers, believing all things that are written in the 

(295) 



296 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

law and the prophets; and that he had the same hope to- 
wards Glod, which they themselves did allow, that there 
should be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and 
unjust. 

Whence note by the way, that a hypocritical people will 
persecute the power of those truths in others, which them- 
selves in words profess : ' I have hope towards GJ-od, and that 
such a hope as they themselves do allow, and yet I am this 
day, and for this very thing, persecuted by them.-' 

But to come to my purpose, "There shall be a resur- 
rection of the dead, &c. By these words the apostle show- 
eth us what was the substance of his doctrine, namely, that 
there should be a resurrection of the dead ; and by these 
words also, what was the great argument with his soul, to 
carry him through those temptations, afflictions, reproaches, 
and necessities he met with in this world, even the doctrine 
of a Besurrection: 'I have hope towards G-od/ saith he, 
' and there is my mind fixed. "For there shall be a resur- 
rection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." The rea- 
son why I cannot do what these Jews would have me; also 
why I cannot live as do the G-entiles; is, because I have in 
my soul the faith of the Besurrection. This is the doctrine, 
I say, which makes me fear to offend, and which is as an 
undergirder to my soul, whereby I am kept from destruc- 
tion, and confusion, under all the storms and tempests I 
here go through. In a word, this is it that hath more 
awe upon my conscience, than all the laws of men, with all 
the penalties they inflict. "And herein do I exercise my- 
self, to have always a conscience void of offence toward Grod 
and toward men/ 

Now here, seeing this doctrine of the Besurrection of the 
Dead, hath that power both to bear up and to awe, both to 
encourage and to keep within compass, the spirit and the 
body of the people of Grod, it will be requisite and profita- 



WHO ARE MEANT BY THE DEAD. 297 

ble for us, to inquire into the true meaning and nature of 
this word, " The resurrection of the dead." 

And, for the better compassing of this matter, I shall 
briefly inquire, 1. What in this place is meant by the 
Dead: 2. What is meant by the Resurrection: 3. Why the 
apostle doth here speak of the Resurrection of the Dead as 
of a thing yet to come. " There shall be a resurrection of 
the dead, both of the just and unjust." 

For the first. The 'dead/ in scripture go under a fivefold 
consideration : as, 

1. Such as die a natural death, or as when a man ceaseth 
to be any more in this world; as David, whom Peter tells 
us, "is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre remaineth 
with us to this day." 

2. There is a people that are reckoned "dead in tres- 
passes and sins;" as those are who never yet were trans- 
lated from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan 
to G-od. Such, I say, as yet never felt the power of the 
word and Spirit of God, to raise them from that state, to 
walk with him in the regeneration; making a life out of 
Christ, and his present benefits. 

3. There is a death seizeth men often after some measure 
of light received from God, and some profession of the gos- 
pel of Christ. These, for the certainty of their damnation, 
are said to be dead, dead: "twice dead, and plucked up by 
the roots." 

4. There is in scripture mention made of a death to sin 
and the lust of the flesh. This death is the beginning of 
true life and happiness, and is a certain forerunner of a share 
in Christ, and with him in another world. 

5. Lastly. There is also in the word a relation of eternal 
death. This is the death that those are in, and swallowed 
up of, that go out of this world Godless, Christless, and 
graceless : dying in sin, and so under the curse of the 
dreadful God. These, I say, because they have missed of 



298 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour, in this day of grace, are 
fallen into the gulf and jaws of eternal death and misery, in 
u the fire that shall never be quenched." 

Now then, seeing there is i death/ or to be ' dead/ taken 
under so many considerations in the scripture; it is evident, 
that the text is not meant of them all. I then must distin- 
guish, and inquire from which of these deaths it is, that 
here the apostle did look for a resurrection. 

1. First then, it cannot be meant of a resurrection from 
eternal death ; for from that there is no redemption. 

2. Neither is it a resurrection from that double death; for 
they that are in that are past recovery also. 

3. And as for those that are dead to sin, it is nonsense to 
say there shall or can be a resurrection from that ; for that 
itself is a resurrection. Which resurrection also the apostle 
had then passed through, and also all the brethren; as he 
saith, " You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses 
and sins :" And again, " If ye then be risen with Christ :" 
And again, "Wherein also ye are risen with him through 
the faith of the operation of God, who raised him from the 
dead." Eph. ii. ; Col. ii. 

Lastly, The dead therefore in this scripture, must be un- 
derstood of those that have departed this life, that have body 
and soul separated each from the other : and so the resur- 
rection of the body out of the grave. As Daniel saith, 
"Many that sleep in the dust of the earth shall arise." And 
again, the Lord saith : " The hour is coming, when all that 
are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come 
forth," &c. Dan. xii; John v. 

The resurrection of the just then, is the rising of the 
todies of the just; and the resurrection of the unjust, the 
rising of their bodies at the last judgment. This also is the 
meaning of that saying of Paul to Agrippa, "I stand," saith 
he, " and am judged for the hope of the promise made unto 
our fathers :" which promise at first began to be fulfilled in 



WHAT THE RESURRECTION IS. 209 

the resurrection of the body of Christ and hath its accom- 
plishment, when the dead small and great are raised out of 
their graves. Wherefore, though Paul saith, it is already 
fulfilled; yet tare he saith, he hopes it shall come: "Unto 
which promise" saith he "our twelve tribes instantly serv- 
ing God day and night, hope to come ;" as God told Daniel, 
saying, " Go thy way, for thou shalt stand in thy lot at the 
end of the days." 

Christ is already risen, and therefore so far the promise 
is fulfilled, but his saints are yet in their graves ; and there- 
fore that part of the fulfilling of it is yet to come ; as he 
saith, "Why should it be thought an incredible thing with 
you, that God should raise the dead V' 

Again, That it is the resurrection of the dead bodies of 
both saints and sinners that is here asserted, is further evi- 
dent, because the apostle saith, It is the resurrection that 
the very Pharisees themselves allowed. " I have hope to- 
wards God," saith he, " which themselves also allow :" then 
what that hope is, he in the next words showeth, namely, 
" That there shall be a resurrection of the dead," &c. Now 
we know, that the Pharisees did not allow of a resurrection 
from a state of nature to a state of grace, which is the same 
with the new birth; but did confidently allow and teach, 
that they were " the children of Abraham according to the 
flesh." Yea, when any of them began to adhere, or incline 
to Christ's doctrine in some things, yet the doctrine of the 
new birth, or of being raised from a state of nature to a state 
of grace, they would very much stick at; though in the 
mean time, they utterly were against the doctrine of the 
Sadducees, which denied the resurrection of the body. 

Further, the resurrection here spoken of must needs be 
the resurrection of the body, because it is called, a " resur- 
rection of the dead, both of the just and unjust;" that is, of 
both saints and sinners ; according to the saying of Christ. 
" The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves 



300 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

shall hear his voice, and shall come forth ; they that have 
done good, unto the resurrection of life ; and they that have 
done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." 

Again, the resurrection here mentioned, is a resurrection 
to come, not already enjoyed, either by saints or sinners. 
" There shall he a resurrection of the dead, both of the just 
and unjust." Now, I say, the resurrection here being yet 
desired by the just, and counted also the resurrection of the 
dead, both of the just and unjust, it must needs be the same 
resurrection that is spoken of by Job, who saith : " So man 
lieth down, and risethnot; till the heavens be no more, they 
shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep." 



CHAPTER II. 

EVIDENCE OP THE DOCTRINE. 

Having thus, in few words, opened this scripture unto 
you, I shall, in the next place, for the further satisfaction 
of those that are yet wavering, and for the refreshment of 
those that are strong and steadfast, lay down before you 
several undeniable scripture demonstrations of the resurrec- 
tion of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 

I. I shall first begin with the Resurrection of the just. 

1. The just must arise, because Christ is risen from the 
dead. Christ is the head of the just, and they are the 
members of his body; and because of this union, therefore 
the just must arise. This is the apostle's own argument : 
" If Christ," saith he, " be preached, that he rose from the 
dead, how say some among you, that there is no resurrection 
of the dead ? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, 
then is not Christ risen." Now, I say, the reason why the 
apostle thus argueth the resurrection from the dead, by the 
resurrection of Christ, is, because the saints (of whose resur- 
rection he here chiefly discourseth) are in their bodies, as 
well as in their souls, the members of Christ. " Know you 
not," saith he, "that your bodies are the members of 
Christ." A very weighty argument ; for if a good man be 
a member of Christ, then he must either be raised out of 
his grave, or else sin and death must have power over a 
member of Christ. I say, again, if this body be not raised, 
then also Christ is not a complete _ conqueror over his ene- 
mies; forasmuch as death and the grave have still power over 
his members. " The last enemy that shall be destroyed is 
death." Now, though Christ in his own person hath a com- 

26 (301) 



802 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

plete conquest over death, &c., yet death hath still power 
over the bodies of all that are in their graves. Now, I say, 
Christ being considered with relation to his members, then 
he hath not yet a complete conquest over death; neither will 
he, until they every one be brought forth of their graves; 
for then, aud not till then, shall that saying be every way 
fulfilled, " Death is swallowed up of victory." 

2. As there must be a resurrection of the just, because 
Christ is their head, and they his members; so also, because 
the body of the saints, as ivell as their soul, is the purchase 
of Christ's blood: "Ye are bought with a price," saith 
Paul : " therefore glorify God in your body, and in your 
spirit, which are God's." Christ will not lose the purchase 
of his blood. ' Death, saith Christ, I will have them. 
Grave, I will make thee let them go : I will ransom them 
from the power of the grave, I will redeem them from death. 
I have bought them, and they shall be mine : " Death, I 
will be thy plague, Grave I will be thy destruction." ; I 
say, though the power of the grave be invincible, and death 
be the king of terrors, yet he hath the keys of hell and 
of death at his girdle, to whom belong the issues from 
death : " He that is our God is the God of salvation ; and 
unto God the Lord belong the issues from death." And 
we, the price of his blood, shall be delivered. 

3. As the body is a member of Christ, and the price of 
his blood, so it is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in 
us : " What ! know ye not that your body is the Temple of 
the Holy Ghost, which is in you ? And ye are not your 
own." The body is no such ridiculous thing in the account 
of Christ, as it was in the account of the Sadducees. " The 
body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord 
for the body;" and that not only in this world, but that 
which is to come: Wherefore he adds, "God hath both 
raised up the Lord Jesus, and will raise us up also by his 



EVIDENCE OF ITS CERTAINTY. 303 

power ;" that is, as lie hath raised up the body of Christ, so 
he will raise up ours also by Christ. 

4. The bodies of the just must arise again, because of 
that similitude that must be betwixt the body of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, and the bodies of the saints : u When he shall 
appear, we shall be like him." Now, we have it abundantly 
manifest in scripture, that the body of the Lord Jesus was 
raised out of the grave, and caught up into heaven, and that 
it ever remaineth in the holiest of all, a glorified body. 

Now, I say, it would be very strange to me, if Christ 
should be raised, ascended, and glorified in that body, and 
yet that his people should be with him no otherwise than in 
their spirits ; especially, seeing that he in his resurrection is 
said to be but the first-begotten from the dead, and the first- 
fruits of them that sleep. For we know, that a first-begot- 
ten doth imply more sons, and that first-fruits do foreshow 
an after-crop. "Wherefore we conclude, " That as in Adam 
all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every 
man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterwards 
they that are Christ's at his coming." 

And hence it is that the scripture saith, " He shall change 
our vile body, that it may be fashioned like to his glorious 
body." And hence it is, again, that the day of Christ is 
said to be " the day of the manifestation of the sons of God, 
and of the redemption of our body;" for then shall the 
saints of God not only be, but appear, as their Saviour, 
being delivered from their graves, as he is from his, and 
glorified in their bodies, as he is in his. 

5. There must be a resurrection of the body of the saints, 
because the body as well as the mind, hath been a deep sharer 
in the afflictions that we meet with for the gospel's sake. 
Yea, the body is ofttimes the greater sufferer in all the cala- 
mities, that for Christ's sake we here undergo. It is the 
body that feels the stocks, the whip, hunger, and cold, the 
fire and rack, and a thousand calamities. It is the body in 



304 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

which we have the dying marks of the Lord Jesus : " That 
the life of Jesus, also might be made manifest in our mortal 
flesh/' G-od is so just' a Grod, and so merciful to his people, 
that though the bodies of his saints should, through the 
malice of the enemy, be never so dishonorably tortured, 
killed, and sown in the grave, yet he will (as further will be 
showed anon) raise it again in incorruption, glory, and 
honor. As he saith also in another place, that we who have 
continued with Christ in his temptations, that have for his 
sake undergone the reproach and malice of the world; "to 
you/' saith Christ, " I appoint a kingdom, as my Father 
hath appointed unto me." "If we suffer with him, we shall 
also reign with him;" and "he that hateth his life in this 
world, shall keep it to life eternal.'" All this is to be enjoyed, 
especially at the resurrection of the just. But, 

6. There must be a resurrection of the just, otherwise 
there will be the greatest disappointment on all sides that ever 
was since man had a being on the earth. 

A disappointment, I say, first. Of the will of Grod : " For 
this is the will of the Father that sent me," saith Christ, 
" that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing" 
(not a dust), "but should raise it up again at the last day." 

A disappointment also of the power of Grod : for he that 
hath raised up the Lord Jesus, doth also intend to raise us 
up by his power, even our bodies. As Paul saith, " The 
body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord 
for the body. And God hath both raised up the Lord, and 
will also raise up us by his power." 

If there should be no resurrection of the just, Christ 
also would be wonderfully disappointed of the fruits of all 
his sufferings. As I told you before, his people are the 
price of his blood, and the members of his body; and he is 
now at the right hand of Grod, far above all principalities 
and powers, and every name that is named, expecting till 
his enemies be made his footstool, and brought under the 



NO DISAPPOINTMENT POSSIBLE. 305 

foot of the weakest saint ; which will not be, until the last 
enemy, death, is destroyed. We know that he said, when 
he went away, that he would come again, and fetch all his 
people to himself, even up into heaven, that where he is, 
there we may be also. But I say, how will he be disap- 
pointed, if when he comes, the grave and death should 
prevent and hinder him, and each with its bars, keep down 
those whom he hath ransomed with his blood from the power 
thereof ! 

If the bodies of the just arise not from the dead, then 
they also will be disappointed. It is true, the saints 
departed have far more fellowship and communion with Grod 
and the Lord Jesus Christ, than we have, or are yet capable 
of having ; they being in paradise, and we in this world ; but 
yet, I say for all that, they are, though there, very much 
longing for the day of the Lord's vengeance, which will be 
the day in which they will, and must arise from the dead. 
This, I say, is the time that they long for, when they cry 
under the altar, " How long, Lord, holy and true, dost 
thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on 
the earth V When they died, they died in hope to obtain 
a better resurrection ; and now they are gone, they long till 
that day be come : till the day come, I say, when the dead, 
even all the enemies of Christ shall be judged; for then will 
he u give reward to his servants the prophets, and to his 
saints, and to all that fear his name, small and great." 

If the just arise not, great disappointment also will be 
to the saints yet alive in this world. For, notwithstanding 
they have already received the first-fruits of the Spirit, yet 
they wait, not only for more of that, but also for the resur- 
rection, redemption, and changing of this vile body. " For 
our conversation is in heaven/' saith Paul; "from whence 
also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ : who 
shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like 
unto his glorious body." But now, I say, if the body riseth 

26 



306 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

not, then how can it be made like to the glorious body of 
Christ Jesus ; yea, what a sad disappointment, infatuation, 
and delusion, are those poor creatures under, that look, and 
that by scripture warrant, for such a thing ? They look for 
good, but behold evil : they expect to be delivered in their 
whole man from every enemy; but lo ! both death and the 
grave, their great enemies, do swallow them up for ever ! 
But, beloved, be not deceived. The needy shall not always 
be forgotten, the expectation of the poor shall not perish for 
ever. For, saith Christ, " Every one that seeth the Son, 
and believeth on him, hath everlasting life : and I will raise 
him up at the last day." 

If the just arise not out of their graves, then also is 
every grace of God in our souls defeated. For though the 
spirit of devotion can put forth a feigned show of holiness, 
with the denial of the resurrection, yet, every grace of God 
in the elect, doth prompt them forward to live as becomes 
the gospel, by pointing at this day. 

It is this that Faith looks at, according as it is writ- 
ten, "I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also 
believe, and therefore speak ; knowing that he which raised 
up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall 
present us with you." 

Hope looks at this : " "We," saith Paul " which have 
the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within 
ourselves, waiting for the adoption, namely, the redemption 
of our body." That is, we expect this by hope. " But hope 
that is seen, is not hope : for what a man seeth" (or hath in 
present possession), " why doth he yet hope for ?" 

The grace of Self-denial also worketh by this doctrine : 
"If, after the manner of men," saith Paul, "I have fought 
with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me if the dead 
rise not?" As if he should say, "Wherefore do I deny 
myself of those mercies and privileges that the men of this 
world enjoy? Why do not I also, as well as they, shun per- 



CONSEQUENCES OF DENYING IT. 307 

secution for the cross of Christ ? If the dead rise not, what 
shall I be the better for all my trouble that here I meet with 
for the gospel of Christ ? 

Both Zeal and Patience, with all the other graces of 
the Spirit of God in our hearts, are much, yea, chiefly en- 
couraged, animated, and supported by this doctrine. As 
James saith, " Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the 
coming of the Lord" (for then shall the dead be raised). 
" Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of 
the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the 
early and the latter rain. Be ye also patient ; stablish your 
hearts ) for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." 

8. The doctrine of the resurrection of the just, must needs 
be a certain truth of God, if we consider the devilish and 
fanatical errors and absurdities that must unavoidably 
follow the denial thereof: as, 

First, he that holdeth no resurrection of our body, denies 
the resurrection of the body of Christ. This is the Spirit's 
own doctrine : " For if the dead rise not, then is Christ not 
risen." He that denieth the resurrection of the members, 
denies the resurrection of the head : for seeing the resurrec- 
tion of the saints is proved by the resurrection of Christ ; he 
that doth deny the resurrection of the saints, must needs 
deny the resurrection of Christ, that proves it. 

Now this error, as it is in itself destructive to all Christian 
religion; so, like an adder, it carrieth within its bowels many 
others alike devilish and filthy : As, 

(1.) He that denieth the resurrection of the saints, con- 
cludeth, that to preach deliverance from sin and death, is 
vain preaching. For how can he be freed from sin, that is 
swallowed up for ever of death and the grave ? as he most 
certainly is that is always contained therein. As Paul saith, 
"If Christ be not risen (whose resurrection is the ground of 
ours), then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also 



308 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

vain;" then we preach fables, and you receive them for 
truth. 

(2.) This error casteth the lie in the face of G-od, of 
Christ, and the scriptures. "Yea, and we also/' saith Paul, 
" are found false witnesses of God : because we have testi- 
fied of God that he raised up Christ; whom he raised not up, 
if so be that the dead rise not." Mark, before he said, that 
Christ, in his resurrection, doth prove our resurrection ; but 
now he saith, that our resurrection will prove the truth of 
his. And indeed both are true : for as by Christ's rising, 
ours is affirmed; so by ours, his is demonstrated. 

(3.) The denial of the resurrection, also damneth those 
that have departed this world in the faith of this doctrine. 
If Christ be not risen (as if he is^ not, we rise not) then is 
not only your faith vain, and ye are yet in your sins that are 
alive ; but, " then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ 
are perished." 

(4.) He that denieth the resurrection of the just, con- 
cludeth, that the Christian is of all men the most miserable : 
Mark the words, "If in this life only we have hope in 
Christ, we are of all men most miserable." First, " Of all 
men most miserable," because we let go present enjoyments 
for those that will never come, if the dead rise not. " Of 
all men most miserable," because our faith, our hope, our 
joy and peace, are all but a lie, if the dead rise not. But 
you will say, he that giveth up himself to God shall have 
comfort in this life. Ah ! but if the dead rise not, all our 
comfort that now we think we have from God, will then be 
found presumption and madness. Because we believe that 
God hath so loved us, as to have us, in his day, in body and 
soul to heaven ; which will be nothing so, if the dead rise 
not : "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of 
all men most miserable." Poor Christian ! thou that lookest 
for the blessed hope of the resurrection of the body, at the 
glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus 



SECRET CAUSES OF DENYING IT. 309 

Christ, how wilt thou be deceived, if the dead rise not ! 
" But now is Christ risen, and become the first fruits of them 
that sleep. For since by man came death, by man came 
also the resurrection of the dead." 

(5.) But again, he that denieth the resurrection of the 
dead, setteth open a flood-gate to all manner of impiety. He 
cutteth the throat of a truly holy life, and layeth the reins 
upon the neck of the most outrageous lust : for if the dead 
rise not, "Let us eat and drink," that is, do any thing, 
though ever so diabolical and hellish; "let us eat and drink, 
for to-morrow we die '" and there is an end of us ; we shall 
not rise again, to receive either evil or good. 

(6.) To deny this resurrection ; nay, if a man do but say, 
it is past, either with him or any Christian, his so saying 
tendeth directly to the destruction and overthrow of the faith 
of them that hear him ; and is so far from being according 
to the doctrine of God, that it eateth out good and whole- 
some doctrine, even as cankers eat the face and flesh of a 
man. How ill favoredly do they look, that have their nose 
and lips eat off with the canker ? Even so badly doth the 
doctrine of no resurrection of the dead look in the eyes of 
Grod, Christ, saints, and scripture.* 

Lastly, I conclude, then, that to deny the resurrection of 
the bodies of the just, argueth, 

Great ignorance of God; ignorance of his power to 
raise, ignorance of his promise to raise, ignorance of his 
faithfulness to raise; and that in regard both to himself, 
Son, and saints, as I showed before. Therefore saith Paul 
to those that were thus deluded, "Awake to righteousness, 
and sin not ; for some have not the knowledge of Grod : I 
speak this to your shame." As if he had said, Do you 



* Would that Professor Bush, and those who with him in our times, have been led 
astray by a show of " science— falsely, so called" — would heed this homely, but true, 
etrong and solemn strain of old John Bunyan. — J. N. B. 



310 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

profess Christianity? and do you question the resurrection 
of the body ? Do you not know, that the resurrection of the 
body and glory to follow, is the very quintessence of the 
gospel of Jesus Christ ? Are you ignorant of the resurrec- 
tion of the Lord Jesus ? And do you question the power 
and faithfulness of Grod, both to his Son and his saints, be- 
cause you say, there shall be no resurrection of the dead? 
You are ignorant of Glod j of what he can do, of what he will 
do; and of how he will by doing glorify himself. 

As it argueth very great ignorance of Grod's power, 
promise, and faithfulness j so it argueth gross ignorance of 
the tenor and current of the scriptures. " For," as touching 
the dead, that they are raised, have you not read in the 
book of Moses (saith Christ) how that Grod said unto him 
in the bush, I am the Grod of Abraham, the Grod of Isaac, 
and the Gi-od of Jacob ? Grod is not the Grod of the dead, 
but of the living. Ye do therefore greatly err," To be the 
Grod of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is to be understood of 
his being their Grod under a new covenant relation ; as he 
saith, "I will, be their Grod, and they shall be my people." 
Now, thus he is not the God of the dead, that is, of those 
that perish, whether they be angels or men. 

Now, I say, they that are the children of Grod, as Abra- 
ham, Isaac, and Jacob, they are counted the ' living/ under a 
threefold consideration. 1. In their Lord and Head. And 
thus all the elect may be said to live ; for they are from 
eternity chosen in him, who also is their life, though possi- 
bly many of them yet unconverted: yet, I say, Christ is 
their life, by the eternal purpose of Grod. 2. The children 
of the new covenant do live ; both in their spirits in glory, 
by open vision, and here by faith, and the continual com- 
munication of grace from Christ into their souls. 3. They 
live also with respect to their rising again ; " for Grod calleth 
those things that are not, as though they were." To be 
born, dead, buried, risen, and ascended, are all present with 



THE NATURE, NOT THE CORRUPTION, RISETH. 311 

God. He liveth not by time, as we do. A thousand years 
to him are but as the day that is past. And again, " One 
day is as a thousand years. " Eternity, which is God him- 
self, admitteth of no first, second, and third. All things are 
naked and bare before him, and present with him ; all (his) 
live unto him. 

"There shall be (then) a resurrection of the dead, both of 
the just and unjust." A resurrection, of what? of that which 
is sown, or of that which was never sown ? If of that which 
is sown, then it must be either of that nature that was sown, 
or else of the corruption that cleaveth unto it ; but it is the 
nature, not the corruption that cleaveth unto it, that riseth 
again. And verily, the very term " resurrection" is a forci- 
ble argument to prove that the dead shall come forth of 
their graves ; for the Holy Ghost hath always spoken more 
properly than to say, " There shall be a resurrection of the 
dead, both of the just and unjust," when yet neither the 
good nor the bad shall come forth of their graves, but rather 
something else to delude the world withal, 



CHAPTER III. 

MANNER OF RISING OF THE JTJST. 

Having thus, in a few words, showed you the truth of 
the resurrection of the dead, I now come to the manner of 
their rising. 

And first (as I said before) of the rising of the just. 

The apostle, when he had (1 Cor. xv.) proved the truth 
and certainty of the resurrection, descends to the discovery 
of the manner of it. And to the end that he might remove 
those foolish scruples that attend the hearts of the ignorant, 
he begins with one of their questions, " But some man will 
say," saith he, "How are the dead raised up? and with what 
body do they come V To which he answereth, first, by a 
similitude of seed that is sown in the earth. In which simi- 
tude he inserteth three things. 

1. That our reviving, or rising, must be after death: 
"That which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die." 

2. That at our rising, we shall not only revive and live, 
but be changed into a far more glorious state than when we 
were sown : " That which thou sowest, thou sowest not that 
body that shall be," &c. "But Grod giveth it a body as it 
pleaseth him ;" that is, he giveth the body more splendor, 
lustre, and beauty, at its resurrection. 

But, 3. Neither its quickening, nor yet transcendent 
splendor, shall hinder it from being the same body (as to 
the nature of it) that was sown in the earth ; for as Grod 
giveth it a body for honor and splendor, as it pleaseth him, 
so, " to every seed his own body." 

And indeed, this similitude by which he here reasoneth 
the manner of the resurrection of the just, is very natural, 
(312) 



■MANNER OF THE RESURRECTION. 313 

and fitly suiteth each particular. For as to its burial. 1. The 
corn of wheat is first dead, and afterward sown and buried 
in the earth; and so is the body of man. 2. After the corn 
is thus dead and buried, then it quickeneth and reviveth to 
life : so shall also it be with our body ; for after it is laid in 
the grave and buried, it shall quicken, rise, and revive. 

Again, as to the manner of its change in its rising, this 
similitude also doth fitly suit; as, 1. It is sown a dead corn; 
it is raised a living one. 2. It is sown dry, and without 
comeliness; it riseth green and beautiful. 3. It is sown a 
single corn; it riseth a full ear. 4. It is sown in its husk; 
but in its rising it leaveth that husk behind it. 

Further, Though the kernel thus die, be buried, and 
meet with all this change and alteration in these things; 
yet none of them can cause the nature of the kernel to 
cease : it is wheat still. Wheat was sown, and wheat riseth. 
Only it is sown dead, dry, and barren wheat ; and riseth 
living, beautiful, and fruitful wheat. It hath this alteration 
then, that it doth greatly change its resemblance ; though 
yet it hath this power, still to retain its own nature. "Grod 
giveth it a body as it pleaseth him ; but to every seed his 
own body." 

The apostle having thus presented the manner of the res- 
urrection of the saints, by the nature of seed sown and rising 
again ; he proceedeth, for further illustration, to three more 
similitudes. The first is, to show us the variety and glory 
of flesh. The second is, to show us the difference of 
glory that is between heavenly bodies, and those that are 
earthly. The third is, to show us the difference that is 
between the glory of the light of the sun, from that of the 
moon ; also how one star differeth from another in glory : 
and then concludeth, " So is the resurrection of the dead." 
As if he should say, At the resurrection of the bodies, they 
will be abundantly more altered and changed, than if the 
flesh of beasts and fowls were made as noble as the flesh of 

27 



314 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

men ; or the bodies of earth were made as excellent as the 
heavenly bodies ; or as if the glory of the moon should be 
made as bright, and as clear, as the glory of the sun ; or as 
if the glory of the least star was as glorious and shining as 
the biggest in the firmament of heaven. 

It is a -resurrection indeed; a resurrection every way. 
The body ariseth as to the nature of it, the self-same na- 
ture ; but as to the manner of it, how far transcendent is it ! 
There is a poor, dry, wrinkled kernel cast into the ground, 
and there it lieth, and swelleth, breaketh, and one would 
think, perisheth; but behold, it receiveth life, it chitteth, it 
putteth forth a blade, and groweth into a stalk ; there also 
appeareth an ear; it also sweetly blossoms, with a full kernel 
in the ear ; it is the same wheat, yet behold how the form 
and fashion of that which now ariseth, doth differ from that 
which then was sown ; its glory also when it was sown, is no 
glory when compared with that in which it ariseth. And 
yet it is the same that riseth that was sown, and no other ; 
though the same after a far more glorious manner : not the 
same with its husk, but without it. Our bran shall be left 
behind us when we rise again. The comparison also between 
the bodies heavenly, and the bodies earthly, holds forth the 
same. " The glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of 
the terrestial is another." Now mark it, he doth not speak 
here of the natures of each of these bodies, but of the tran- 
scendent glory of one above another. The glory of the 
heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 
Wherefore, I say, at our rising, we shall not change our 
nature, but our glory; we shall be equal to the angels; 
not with respect to their nature, but glory. The nature 
also of the moon is one thing, and the glory of the moon 
is another; and so one star also differeth from another in 
gbry. 

A beggar hath the same nature as a king, and gold in 
the ore hath the same nature with that which is best re- 



u FLESH AND BLOOD" FIGURATIVELY USED. 315 

fined : but the beggar bath not the same glory with the king, 
nor yet the gold in the ore the same glory with that which 
is refined. But our state will be far more altered, than 
any of these in the day when we arise out of the heart and 
bowels of the earth, like so many suns in the firmament of 
heaven. 

These things thus considered, do show you how vainly 
they argue, that say, our human nature, consisting of body 
and soul, shall not inherit the kingdom of God ; and also 
how far from their purpose, that saying of the apostle is, 
which saith, that "flesh and blood shall not inherit the 
kingdom of God." And now also because I am fallen upon 
the objection itself, I shall not pass it, but with a short dash 
at it. Wherefore, reader, whoever thou art, consider, that 
frequently in scripture, the word " flesh and blood" (as also 
in the place alleged) is not to be understood of that matter 
which God made — which flesh cleaveth to our bones, and 
blood runs in our veins — but is taken for that corruption, 
weakness, mortality, and evil that cleave unto it. Which 
weakness and corruption, because it possesseth all men, and 
also wholly ruleth where the soul is unconverted, therefore 
it beareth the name of that which is ruled and actuated by 
it, namely, our whole man, consisting of body and soul. Yet, 
I say, it is a thing distinct from that flesh and blood which 
is e-ssential to our being, and without which we are no men. 
As for instance, " He that is Christ's," saith Paul, " hath 
crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Who is so 
vain as to think, that the apostle, by these words, should 
mean our material flesh that hangeth on our bones, and that 
is mixed with our natural blood, sinews, and veins ; and not 
rather that inward fountain of sin, corruption, and wicked- 
ness, which in another place he calleth " the old man, with 
the deceitful lusts." Again, " The flesh lusteth against the 
Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh." Is it our flesh that 
hangeth on our bones, which lusteth against the Spirit; and 



316 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

that also against which the Spirit 'lusteth ? Certainly if the 
Spirit lusteth against our material flesh, then it is our duty 
not to nourish it at all; because, by nourishing it, we 
nourish that against which the Spirit of God fighteth and 
warreth. Nay, if the Spirit lusts against the flesh on our 
bones, simply considered as flesh ; and if it be our duty to 
follow the Spirit, as it is, then we must needs kill ourselves, 
or cut our flesh from our bones. For whatever the Spirit 
of God lusteth against, must be destroyed; yea, it is our 
duty with all speed to destroy it. But wilt thou know, 
vain man, that by flesh here, is to be understood, not the 
nature that God hath made, but the corrupt apprehension 
and wisdom, with those inclinations to evil, that lodge within 
us, which in another place is called "the wisdom of the 
flesh -j" yea, in the plain terms, " flesh and blood," where 
Christ saith, " Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto 
thee, but my Father which is in heaven." 

Nay, observe it, all these places, with many others, do 
rather point at a corrupt soul, than a corrupt body; for 
indeed, sin, and all spiritual wickedness, have their seat in 
the heart and soul of a man, and by their using this or that 
member of the body, so defile the man ; the weaknesses of 
the body, or that attend our material flesh and blood, they 
are weaknesses of another kind : as sickness, aches, pains, 
sores, wounds, defect of members, &c. "Wherefore, where 
you read of flesh and blood as rejected of God, especially 
when it speaks of the flesh and blood of saints, you are not 
to understand it as meant of the flesh which is their proper 
human nature, but of that weakness which cleaveth to it. 

Paul, in another place, reckoneth up the works of the 
flesh, in many things, as in witchcraft, hatred, variance, 
strife, emulation, fornication, and many others. But can 
any imagine that he there should strike at that flesh which 
hangeth on our bones ? rather at that malignity and re- 
bellion that is in the mind of man against the Lord; by 



"PLESH AND BLOOD" OFTEN MEANS MORTALITY. 317 

reason of which, the members of the body are used this 
way, and also some times that, to accomplish its most filthy 
and abusive deeds. " They are enemies in their minds by 
wicked works." 

Thus you see that " flesh and blood" is not to be taken 
always for the flesh that is upon our hands, and feet and 
other parts of our body, but for that sin, weakness, and in- 
firmity, that cleave to our whole man. 

Further, then, touching our real substantial flesh, it may 
be either considered as God's creature purely, or as cor- 
rupted with sin and infirmity. Now, if you consider it as 
corrupted ; so it shall not inherit the kingdom of God : but 
yet consider it as God's creature, and so all that God hath 
converted to himself, through Jesus Christ, shall, even with 
that body, when changed, inherit the kingdom of God. The 
woman whose clothes are foul, can yet distinguish between 
the dirt and the cloth on which it hangeth; and so deals 
God with us. It is true, there is not one saint, but while 
he liveth here, his body is arrayed and infected with many 
corrupt and filthy things, as touching bodily weakness; yea, 
and also with many sinful infirmities, by reason of that body 
of sin and death that yet remains in us : but yet God, I say 
distinguisheth between our weaknesses and his workman- 
ship, and can tell how to save the whole man of his people, 
while he is destroying the corruption and weakness that 
cleave to them. 

And now to return to the place objected, " Flesh and 
blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God." It cannot be 
truly understood, that that flesh which is man's nature, shall 
not enter into the kingdom: for then, as I said before, 
Christ must lose his members, the purchase of his blood, 
the vessels and temples of his Spirit; for all this is our 
body. 

Again; then Christ also, in that body of his, which is 
also our flesh and blood, is not in glory ; contrary to the 

27* 



318 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

whole current of the New Testament. Yea, it would be 
nonsense to say, there should be a resurrection, and that our 
vile body shall be changed and made like to the glorious 
body of the Son of God, if this body do not at all rise again, 
but some other thing, which is not in us and our nature. 

But to be short, the apostle here when he saith, " Flesh 
and blood shall not inherit," &c, speaks properly of that 
mortality and weakness that now attend our whole man, 
and not of our real substantial body itself. For after he 
had said, " Flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom 
of God," he adds, "Neither doth corruption inherit incor- 
ruption." Which two sayings are answerable to what he 
presently adds, saying, " Behold, I show you a mystery; 
we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a 
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for 
the trumpet shall sound, and the dead;" mark, "the dead 
shall be raised incorruptible." That is, the dead shall be 
so raised, as that in their rising, incorruption shall possess 
them instead of incorruption, and immortality, instead of 
that mortality that descended to the grave with them. "For 
this corruptible (mark, "this corruptible") must put on 
incorruption; and this mortal shall put on immortality;" 
mark, I say, it is this corruptible, and this mortal, that must 
be raised, though not corruptible and mortal, as it was bu- 
ried, but immortal and incorruptible. It shall leave its 
grave-clothes of corruption and mortality behind it. 

The manner of which rising, the apostle doth more dis- 
tinctly branch out, a little above, in four particulars. Which 
particulars are these that follow: 1. "It is sown in corrup- 
tion, it is raised in incorruption." 2. "It is sown in dis- 
honor, it is raised in glory." 3. "It is sown in weakness, 
it is raised in power." 4. " It is sown a natural body, it is 
raised a spiritual body." 

1. "It is raised in incorruption." We are brought into 
this world by sin and corruption; corruption is our father, 



INCORRUPTION AND GLORY. 819 

and in sin did our mother conceive us. And hence it is, 
that we have our life, not only like a span, shadow, or post, 
for shortness, but also that it is attended with so much 
vanity and vexation of spirit. But now being raised from 
the dead incorruptible (which is also called a begetting and 
birth) these things that now in our life annoy us, and at 
last take away our life, are effectually destroyed. And 
therefore we live for ever ; as saith the Spirit, "And there 
shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither 
shall there be any more pain : for the former things (that is, 
all that belong to our corruptibleness) are passed away/' 

There shall be in our resurrection no corruption, either of 
body or of soul; no weakness nor sickness, nor any thing 
tending that way: as he saith, "He will present us to him- 
self a glorious church, not having spot, nor wrinkle, nor any 
such thing." Therefore, when he saith, "It is raised in in- 
corruption," it is as if he had said, It is impossible that 
they should ever sin more, be sick more, sorrow more, or die 
more. They that shall be counted worthy of that world, 
and the resurrection from the dead, "neither marry, nor are 
given in marriage/' though it was thus with them in this 
world ; " neither can they die any more : for they are equal 
unto the angels; and are the children of Grod, being the 
children of the resurrection." 

2. "It is raised in glory." The dishonor that doth at- 
tend the saint at his departing from this world, is often very 
great. He is "sown in dishonor;" he is sometimes so loath- 
some at his death that his dearest friends are weary of him, 
stop their noses at him, see no beauty in him, nor set any 
price upon him. I speak nothing here, how some of the 
saints are hanged, starved, banished, and some die, torn to 
pieces, and not suffered to be put into graves. But "it is 
raised in glory." Glory is the sweetness, comeliness, purity, 
and perfection of a thing. The light is the glory of the sun; 
strength is the glory of youth ; and gray hairs are the glory 



320 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

of old age; that is, it is the excellency of these things, and 
that which makes them shine. 

Therefore to arise in glory, is first to arise in all the 
beauty and utmost completeness, that it is possible for a 
human body to possess. I say, in all its features and 
members, inconceivably beautiful. Sin and corruption have 
made sad work in our bodies, as well as in our souls. It is 
sin commonly which is the cause of all that deformity, and 
ill-favoredness, that now cleave to us, and that also render 
us so dishonorable at our death. But now at our rising, 
being raised incorruptible, we shall appear in such perfec- 
tions and that of all sorts belonging to the body — that all 
the beauty and comeliness, sweetness and amiableness, that 
have at any time been in this world, shall be swallowed up 
a thousand times told, with this glory. The psalmist saith 
of Christ, that he is "fairer than the children of men;" and 
that, as I believe, in his outward man, as well as in his in- 
ward part; he was the exactest, purest, completest, and 
beautifulest creature, that ever Grod made, till "his visage 
was so marred" by his persecutors : for in all things he had 
and shall have the pre-eminence. Now, our bodies at our 
resurrection will not only be as free from sin, as his was be- 
fore he died, but also as free from all other infirmities, as 
he was after he was raised again. In a word, if incorrupti- 
bleness can put a beauty upon our bodies, when they arise, 
we shall have it. There shall be no lame legs, nor crump 
shoulders, no blear-eyes, nor yet wrinkled faces. "He shall 
change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his 
glorious body." 

Again, all the glory that a glorified soul can help this 
body to, it at this day shall enjoy. That soul that hath 
been these hundreds or thousands of years in the heavens, 
resting in the bosom of Christ, shall in a moment come 
spangling into the body again, and inhabit every member 
and vein of the body, as it did before its departure. That 



POWER AND SPIRITUALITY. 821 

Spirit of God also, that took its leave of the body when it 
went to the grave, shall now, in all perfection, dwell in this 
body again. I tell you, the body at this day will shine 
brighter than the face of Moses or Stephen, even as bright 
as the sun, the stars, and angels. "When Christ who is 
our life, shall appear, then we shall appear with him in 
glory/' 

3. "It is raised in power." While we are here, we are 
attended with so many weaknesses and infirmities, that in 
time the least sin or sickness is too hard for us, and taketh 
away both our strength, our beauty, our days, our breath 
and life, and all. But behold, we are raised in power ; in 
that power, that all these things are as far below us, as a 
grasshopper is below a giant. At the first appearance of us, 
the world will tremble. 

Behold, the gates of death, and the bars of the grave, are 
now carried away on our shoulders, as Samson carried away 
the gates of the city. Death quaketh, and destruction 
falleth down dead at our feet. What then can stand before 
us ? We shall then carry that grace, majesty, terror, and 
commanding power in our souls, that our countenances shall 
be like lightning. " For this corruptible must put on incor- 
ruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when 
this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this 
mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought 
to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up of 
victory." 

4. " It is raised a spiritual body." This is the last par- 
ticular, and is indeed the reason of the other three. It is 
an incorruptible body, because it is a spiritual one ; it is a 
glorious body, because it is a spiritual one ; it doth rise in 
power, because it is a spiritual body. When the body is 
buried, or sown in the earth, it is a body corruptible, dis- 
honorable, weak, and natural ; but when it ariseth, it doth 
rise incorruptible, glorious, powerful, and spiritual. So, 



322 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

that as far as incorruption is above corruption, glory above 
dishonor, power above weakness, and spiritual above natural, 
so great an alteration will there be in our body, when raised 
again. And yet it is this body, and not another; this in 
nature, though changed into a far more glorious state, a 
thousand times further than if a hogherd was changed to be 
an emperor. Mark, "It is sown a natural body •"■ a very 
fit word : for though there dwell ever so much of the Spirit 
and grace of G-od in it while it liveth, yet so soon as the soul 
is separate from it, so soon also doth the Spirit of G-od 
separate from it ; and so will continue until the day of its 
rising be come. Therefore it is laid into the earth a mere 
lump of man's nature : " It is -sown a natural body." But 
now, at the day, when " the heavens shall be no more," as 
Job saith, then the trump shall sound, even the trump of 
G-od, and, in a moment, the dead shall be raised incorrupti- 
ble, glorious, and spiritual. So that, I say, the body, when 
it ariseth, will be so swallowed up of life and immortality, 
that it will be as if it had lost its own human nature; 
though, in truth, the same substantial real nature is every 
whit there still. It is the same " it" that riseth that was 
sown : it is sown, it is raised, saith the apostle. 

You know, that things which are candied by the art of 
the apothecary, are so swallowed up with the sweetness 
and virtue of that in which they are candied, that they are 
now as though they had no other nature than that in which 
they are boiled ; when yet, in truth, the thing candied doth 
still retain its own proper nature and essence ; though, by 
virtue of its being candied, it loseth its former sourness, 
bitterness, bad smell, or the like. Just thus, at the last 
day, it will be with our bodies : we shall be so candied, 
by being swallowed of life, as before is showed, that we 
shall be as if we were all spirit ; when, in truth, it is but 
this body that is swallowed up of life. And it must needs 
be that our nature still remains ; otherwise it cannot be us 



POWERS OF THE SPIRITUAL BODY. 323 

that shall be in heaven, but something besides us. Let us 
lose our proper human nature, and we lose absolutely our 
being, and so are annihilated into nothing. Wherefore it, 
the same it that is sown a natural body, shall rise a spiritual 
body. 

But again, as I said concerning things that are candied, 
our body, when thus risen, shall lose all that sourness and 
ill smell that now, by reason of sin and infirmity, cleave to 
it ; neither shall its lumpishness or unwieldiness be any im- 
pediment to its acting after the manner of angels. Christ 
hath showed us what our body at our resurrection shall be, 
by showing us in his word, what his body was after his res- 
urrection. "We read, that his body, after he was risen from 
the dead, retained the very same flesh and bones that did 
hang upon the cross ; yet how angelical was it at all times, 
upon all occasions ! He could come in to his disciples with 
that very body, when the doors were shut upon them. He 
could at pleasure, to their amazement, appear in the twink- 
ling of an eye, in the midst of them. He could be visible 
and invisible, as he pleased, when he sat at meat with them. 
In a word, he could pass and repass, ascend and descend in 
that body, with far more pleasure and ease, than the bird by 
the art of her wing. 

Now, I say, as we have in this world borne the image of 
our first father, so at that day, we shall have the image of 
Jesus Christ, and be as he is. "As is the earthy, such are 
they also that are earthy ; and as is the heavenly, such are 
they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the 
image of the earthy, so we shall" (at our resurrection) " bear 
the image of the heavenly;" it is so in part now, but shall 
so be in perfection then. 

To mount up to heaven, and to descend again at pleasure, 
shall with us, in that day, be ordinary. If there were ten 
thousand bars of iron, or walls of brass, to separate between 
us and our pleasure and desire at that day, they should as 



324 THE RESURRECTION OP THE DEAD. 

easily be pierced by us, as is the cobweb, or air, by the 
beams of the sun ; and the reason is, because to the Spirit, 
wherewith we shall be inconceivably filled at that day, 
nothing is impossible : and the working of it at that day, 
shall be in that nature and measure, as to swallow up all 
impossibilities. He shall "change our vile body, that it 
may be fashioned like unto his glorious body" — now mark, 
u according to the working whereby he is able even to 
subdue all things unto himself." As if he should say, I 
know that there are many things that in this world hinder 
us from having our bodies like the body of Christ. But 
when Grod shall raise us from the dead, because he will then 
have our bodies like the body of his Son, he will then have 
such a power to work upon, and in, our body, as will remove 
all impossibilities, and hindrances. 

Nay, farther, we do not only see what operation the Spirit 
will have in our body, by the carriage of Christ after his 
resurrection, but even by many a saint before their death. 
The Spirit used to catch Elijah away, no man could tell 
whither. It carried Ezekiel hither and thither. It carried 
Christ from the top of the pinnacle of the temple into 
G-alilee. Through it he walked on the sea. The Spirit 
caught away Philip from the eunuch, and carried him as far 
as Azotus. Thus the great Grod hath given us a taste of the 
glorious power that is in himself; and how easily it will 
help us, by its possessing us at the resurrection, to act and 
do like angels ; as Christ saith, They that shall be counted 
worthy of that world, and of the resurrection from the dead, 
shall no more die, but be equal to the angels. 

Further, as the body, by being thus spiritualized, shall be 
as I have said; so again it must needs be, that hereby all the 
service of the body, and faculties of the soul must be infi- 
nitely enlarged also. Now "we shall see him as he is," and 
now " we shall know, even as we are known." 

First, Now we shall see him, namely, Christ ; in his glory ; 



POWERS OF THE GLORIFIED SOUL. 825 

not by revelation only, as we do now, but then face to face; 
and he will have us with him, to this very end. Though 
John was in the Spirit when he had the vision of Christ, yet 
it made him fall at his feet as dead. It also turned Daniel's 
beauty into corruption ; so glorious, and so overweighing was 
the glory that he appeared in. But we shall at the day of 
our resurrection, be so furnished, that we shall with the 
eagle be able to look upon the sun in his strength. We 
shall then, I say, see him as he is, who now is in the light 
that no eye hath seen, nor any man can see it till that day. 

Now we shall see into all things : there shall not be any 
thing hid from us : there shall not be a saint, a prophet, or 
saved soul, small or great, but we shall then perfectly know 
them; also, all the works of creation, election, and redemp- 
tion. "We shall see and know as thoroughly all the things 
of heaven, and earth, and hell, even as now we know our 
A. B. C. ; for the Spirit with which we shall in every cranny 
of soul and body be filled, I say, that searcheth all things, 
yea, the deep things of God. 

We see what strange things have been known by the pro- 
phets and saints of God, and that when they knew but in 
part. Abraham could, by it, tell to a day how long his 
seed should be under persecution in Egypt. Elisha, by it, 
could tell what was done in the king of Assyria's bed- 
chamber. Abijah could know, by this, Jeroboam's wife, so 
soon as, yea, before her feet entered within his door, though 
he saw her not. The prophet of Judah could tell by this, 
what God would do to Bethel, for the idolatry there com- 
mitted; and could also point out the man by name, that 
should do the execution, long before he was born. What 
shall I say? Enoch, by it, could tell what should be done 
at the end of the world. How did the prophets, to a cir- 
cumstance, prophesy of Christ's birth, his death, his burial, 
of their giving him gall and vinegar, of their parting his 
raiment, and piercing bis hands and feet, of bis rising on the 

28 



826 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

third day ! All this they saw when they spake of him. Peter 
also, though half asleep, could at the very first word, call 
Moses and Elias by their names, when they appeared to 
Christ in the holy mount. He is very ignorant of the ope- 
ration of the Spirit of God, that scrupleth these things. 
But now, I say, if these things have been done, seen, and 
known, by spiritual men, while their knowledge hath been 
but in part, how shall we know, see, and discern, when that 
which is perfect is come? which will be at the resurrection. 
"It is raised a spiritual body." 

Thus, in a few words, have I showed you the truth of 
the resurrection of the just, and also the manner of their 
rising. Had I judged it convenient, I might have much 
enlarged on each particular, and have added many more. 
For the doctrine of the resurrection, however questioned by 
heretics and erroneous persons, yet is such a truth, that 
almost all the holy scriptures of God point at, and centre 
in it. 

God hath from the beginning of the world, showed to us 
that our body must be with him, as well as our soul, in the 
kingdom of heaven. I say, he hath showed it. 

1. He hath showed us, how he will deal with those that 
are alive at Christ's coming, by his translating Enoch, and 
taking him body and soul to himself: as also, by his catch- 
ing Elias up, body and soul, into heaven, in a fiery chariot. 

2. He hath often put us in remembrance of the rising of 
those that are dead at that day. 1. By the faith he gave 
Abraham, concerning the offering of his Son: for when 
he offered him, he accounted that God was able to raise 
him up, even from the dead : from whence also he received 
him in a figure of the resurrection of Christ, for Abraham's 
justification, and of Abraham's resurrection by Christ at the 
last day, for his glorification. 2. By the faith he gave 
Joseph, concerning his bones; which charge the godly in 
Egypt did diligently observe; and to that end, did keep 



ANCIENT INTIMATIONS OF THIS. 327 

thein four hundred years, and at length carried them, I say, 
from Egypt to Canaan, which was a type of our being car- 
ried in our body from this world to heaven. 

Besides, How oft did God give power to his prophets, ser- 
vants, and Christ Jesus, to raise some that were now dead, 
and some that had been long so; and all, no doubt, to put 
the present generations, as also the generations yet unborn, 
in mind of the resurrection of the dead. To this end, I say, 
how was the Shunamite's son raised from the dead ! the man 
also at the touching of the bones of Elisha ! together with 
the body of Lazarus, with Jairus' daughter, and Tabitha, 
and many others; who after their souls had departed from 
them (Lazarus lying in his grave four days), were all 
raised to life again, and lived with that very body, out of 
which the soul, at their death, had departed ! 

But above all, that notable place in Matthew, at the re- 
surrection of the Lord Jesus, gives us a notable fore-word 
of the resurrection of the just. Saith the text, " And the 
graves were opened; and many bodies of saints which slept 
arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and 
went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." 

When the author to the Hebrews had given us a cata- 
logue of the worthies of the Old Testament, he saith at last, 
"These all died in faith." In the faith of what? That 
they should lie and rot in their graves eternally ? No, 
verily : this is the faith of Banters, not of Christians. They 
all died in faith, that they should rise again; and therefore 
counted this world not worth the living in (upon unworthy 
terms), that after death "they might obtain a better resur- 
rection." 

It is also worth considering, what Paul saith to the Phi- 
lippians, That he was confident, that that Grod who had 
begun a good work in them, would "perform it unto the day 
of Christ." Which day of Christ was not the day of their 
conversion, for that was past with them already; they were 



328 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

now the children of G-od; but this day of Christ, is the 
same which in other places is called the day when he shall 
come with the sound of the last trump to raise the dead. 
For you must know, that the work of salvation is not at an 
end with them that are now in heaven; no, nor ever will be, 
until (as T showed you before) their bodies be raised again. 
God, as I have told you, hath made our bodies the members 
of Christ, and G-od doth not count us throughly saved, 
until our bodies be as well redeemed and ransomed out of 
the grave of death, as our soul from the curse of the law and 
dominion of sin. 

Though G-od's saints have felt the power of much of his 
grace, and have had many a sweet word fulfilled on them : 
yet one word will be unfulfilled on their particular persons, 
so long as the grave can shut her mouth upon them. But, 
as I said before, when the gates of death do open before 
them, and the bars of the grave do fall asunder; then shall 
be brought to pass that saying that is written, " Death is 
swallowed up of victory :" And then will they hear that 
most pleasant voice, " Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the 
dust : for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall 
cast out the dead." Thus much touching the truth of the 
resurrection of the just, with the manner of their rising. 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE TRIAL AND REWARD OF THE JUST. 

Now you must know, that the time of the rising of the 
just, will be at the coming of the Lord. For when they 
arise, nay, just before they are raised, the Lord Jesus Christ 
will appear in the clouds, in flaming fire, with all his mighty 
angels ; the effect of which appearing will be the rising of 
the dead. " For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven 
with a shout," saith Paul, " with the voice of the archangel, 
and with the trump of G-od : and the dead in Christ shall 
rise first." 

Now at the time of the Lord's coming, there will be found 
in the world alive both saints and sinners. As for the saints 
that then shall be found alive, they shall not die, but so 
soon as all the saints are raised out of their graves, be 
changed and swallowed up of incorruption, immortality, and 
glory; and have the same spiritual translation, as the raised 
saints shall have. As Paul also saith, " We shall not all 
sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the 
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall 
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we 
shall be changed." And again, "For the Lord himself 
shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of 
the archangel, and with the trump of Grod : and the dead in 
Christ shall rise first : then we which are alive and remain 
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet 
the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 
As he saith also in another place, "He shall judge the quick 
and the dead at his appearing, and his kingdom." 

Now, when the saints that sleep shall be raised thus incor- 
28* (329) 



330 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, 

ruptibie, powerful, glorious and spiritual; and also those that 
then shall be found alive, made like them ; then forthwith, 
before the unjust are raised, the saints shall appear before 
the judgment-seat of the Lord Jesus Christ, there to give 
an account to their Lord, the judge of all things they have 
done ; and to receive a reward for their good according to 
their labor. 

They shall rise, I say, before the wicked, they being them- 
selves the proper children of the resurrection ; that is, those 
that must have all the glory of it, both as to pre-eminency, 
and sweetness; and therefore they are said, when they rise, 
to rise from the dead ; that is, in their rising, they leave the 
reprobate world behind them. And it must be so, because 
also the saints will have done their account, and be set upon 
the throne with Christ as kings and princes with him to 
judge the world, when the wicked world are raised. The 
saints " shall judge the world;" they shall "judge angels;" 
yea, they shall sit upon the throne of judgment to do it. 
But to pass that. 

Now, when the saints are raised, as ye have heard, they 
must give an account of all things in general, that they have 
done while they were in the world. Of all things, I say, 
" whether they be good or bad." 

1. Of all their bad: but mark, not under the considera- 
tion of vagabond slaves and sinners, but as sons, stewards, 
and servants of the Lord Jesus. That this shall be, is 
evident from divers places of the holy scriptures. First, 
Paul saith, " We must all stand before the judgment-seat 
of Christ;" we saints. "For it is written, As I live, saith 
the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue 
shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give 
an account of himself to G-od." Again, "Wherefore we 
labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted 
of him. For we must all appear before the judgment-seat 
of Christ ; that every one of us may receive the things done 



ILLUSTRATION. 331 

in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be 
good or bad." 

It is true, God loveth his people, but yet he loveth not 
their sins, nor any thing they do, though with the greatest 
zeal for him, if it be contrary to his word. Wherefore, as 
truly as Grod will give a reward to his saints and children, 
for all that they have indeed well done ; so truly will he at 
this day distinguish their good and bad; and when both are 
manifest by the righteous judgment of Christ, he will burn 
up their bad, with all their labor, travail, and pains in it for 
ever. He can tell how to save his people, and yet take 
vengeance on their inventions. 

That is an observable place. 1 Cor. iii. 12-15. " If any 
man build," saith he, "upon this foundation (which is 
Christ) gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 
every man's work shall be manifest : for the day shall de- 
clare it, because it shall be revealed by fire ; and the fire 
shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's 
work shall abide, that he hath built thereupon, he shall 
receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he 
shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved ; yet so as 
by fire." 

Now, observe (1.), as, I said before, the foundation is 
Christ. (2.) The gold, silver, and precious stones, that here 
are said to be built upon him, are all the actings in faith and 
love according to the word, that the saints are found doing 
for his sake in the world. (3.) To build on him wood, hay, 
and stubble, is to build together with what is right in 
itself, human inventions and carnal ordinances; fathering 
them still on God and his allowance. (4.) The fire that 
here you read of, is the pure word and law of Grod. 
(5.) The day that here you read of, is the day of Christ's 
coming to judgment, to reveal the hidden things of darkness, 
and to make manifest the counsels of the heart. (6.) At 
this day the gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and 



332 THE RESURRECTION OE THE DEAD. 

stubble, and that of every man, shall be tried by this fire, 
that it may be manifest of what sort it is. The wind, the 
rain, and floods, beat now as vehemently against the house 
upon the rock, as against that on the sand. 

Observe again, (1.) That the apostle speaks here of the 
saved, not of the reprobates : " He himself shall be saved." 
(2.) That this saved man may have wood, hay and stubble; 
that is, things that will not abide the trial. (3.) That 
neither this man's goodness, nor yet G-od's love to him, shall 
hinder all his wood, hay, or stubble, from coming on the 
stage : " Every man's work shall be manifest :" " the fire 
shall try every man's work, of what sort it is." (4.) Thus, 
a good man shall see all his wood, hay, and stubble, burnt 
up in the trial before his face. (5.) That good man then 
shall suffer loss ; or the loss of all things that are not then 
according to the word of Grod. " If any man's work shall 
be burned (or any of them), he shall suffer loss, but he him- 
self shall be saved, yet so as by fire;" that is, yet so as that 
all that ever he hath done, shall be tried and squared by the 
word of Grod.* 

From all which it must be unavoidably concluded, that 
the whole body of the elect must account with their Lord 
for all things they have done, whether good or bad; and 
that he will destroy all their bad with the purity of his 
word ; yea, and all their pains, travail, and labor, that they 
have spent about it. I am persuaded, that there are now 
many things done by the best of saints, that then they will 
gladly disown and be ashamed of; yea, which they have 



* It may be doubted whether our author has hit upon the exact meaning of this 
passage. If we look back to Terse 10th, we find Paul is speaking of building the 
Visible Church. Of course the gold, silver, &c, signify the different sorts of mem- 
bers, sound or unsound, introduced into it. These must be tried thoroughly, as by 
fire, at the last day ; and the results of the trial will show who are the sound mem- 
bers, and who have been faithful and wise Church builders. Still this special view 
involves the idea of the more general trial on which Bunyan insists. — J. N. B. 



the saint's confession of SIN. 333 

done and still do with great devotion. Alas ! what gross 
things do some of the saints, in their devotion, father upon 
God ; and do reckon him the author thereof, and that he also 
prompts them forward to the doing thereof, and doth give 
them his presence in the performance of them ! Yea, and 
as they father many superstitions and scriptureless things 
upon him ; so they die in the same opinion, and never come, 
in this world, to the sight of their evil and ignorance herein. 
But now the judgment-day is the principal time wherein 
every thing shall be set in its proper place ; that which is 
of G-od in its place, and that which is not, shall now be dis- 
covered and made manifest. "In many things now, we 
all offend ;" and then we shall see the many offences we 
have committed, and shall ourselves judge them as they are. 
The Christian is, in this world, so candid a creature, that 
take him when he is not under some great temptations, and 
he will ingenuously confess to his Grod, before all men, how 
he hath sinned and transgressed against his Father; and 
will fall down at the feet of Grod, and cry out, 'Thou art 
righteous, for I have sinned; and thou art gracious, that 
notwithstanding my sin, thou shouldst save me/ Now, I 
say, if the Christian is so simple and plain-hearted with 
Grod, in the days of his imperfection, when he is accompa- 
nied with many infirmities and temptations ; how freely will 
he confess and acknowledge his miscarriages, when he comes 
before the Lord and Saviour, absolutely stripped of all 
temptation and imperfection. "As I live, saith the Lord, 
every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess 
to Grod." Every knee shall bow, and reverence Grod the 
Creator, and Christ the Redeemer of the world; and every 
tongue shall confess that his will alone ought by them to 
have been obeyed in all things; and shall confess also, and 
that most naturally and freely (I mean the saints shall) in 
how many things they were deceived, mistaken, deluded, 



334 THE RESURRECTION OP THE DEAD. 

and drawn aside in their intended devotion and honor to 
God. 

But yet take notice, that in this day, when the saints are 
thus accounting for their evil before their Saviour and 
Judge, they shall not then, at the remembrance and con- 
fession of sin, be filled with that guilt, confusion, and shame, 
that now, through the weakness of faith, attend their souls; 
neither shall they, in the least, be grieved or offended, 
that God hath before the angels, and the rest of their holy 
brethren, laid open, to a tittle, their infirmities, from the 
least and first, to the biggest and last. 

For, (1.) The God to whom they confess all, they will 
now, more perfectly than ever, see doth love them, and free 
them from all, even when and before, they confess and ac- 
knowledge them to him. And they shall, I say, have their 
soul so full of the ravishing rapture of the life and glory 
that now they are in, that they shall be of it swallowed up 
in that measure and manner, that neither fear, nor guilt, 
nor confusion, can come near them or touch them. Their 
Judge is their Saviour, their husband, and head; who, 
though he will bring every one of them for all things to 
judgment, yet he will keep them for ever out of condemna- 
tion, and any thing that tendeth that way. " Perfect love 
casteth out fear," even now : much more then, when we are 
with our Saviour, our Jesus, being passed from death to life. 

(2.) The saints at that day shall have their hearts and 
souls so wrapped up in the pleasure of God their Saviour, 
that it shall be their delight to see all things (though once 
ever so near and dear unto them) yet now perish, if not 
according to his word and will. " Thy will be done," is to 
be always our language here; but to delight to see it done 
in all things, though it tend ever so much to the destruction 
of what we love — to delight, I say, in the height and per- 
fection of delight, to see it done, will be when we come to 
heaven, or when the Lord shall come to judge the world. 



HAPPINESS OF SAINTS IN CONFESSION. 335 

(3.) But, the end of the accounting of the saints at the 
day of God, will be, not only the vindication of the right- 
eousness, holiness, and purity of the word; neither will it 
centre only in the manifestation of the knowledge and heart- 
discerning nature of Christ (though both these will "be in 
it) ; but the very remembrances, and sight of sin and vanity 
that they have done while here, shall both set off, and 
heighten the tender affections of their God unto them, and 
also increase their joy and sweetness of soul, and clinging 
of heart to their God. Saints while here, are sweetly sensi- 
ble that the sense of sin, and the assurance of pardon, will 
make famous work in their poor hearts. Ah, what meltings, 
without guilt; what humility, without casting down; and 
what a sight of the creature's nothingness, yet without fear, 
will this sense of sin work in the soul ! The sweetest frame, 
the most heart-endearing frame that a Christian can possibly 
get into, while in this world, is to have a warm sight of sin, 
and of a Saviour, upon the heart at one time. Now it weeps 
not for fear, and through torment, but by virtue of constrain- 
ing grace and mercy ; and is at this very time so far off of 
disquietness of heart, by reason of the sight of its wicked- 
ness, that it is driven into an ecstasy, by reason of the love 
and mercy that is mingled with the sense of sin in the soul. 
The heart never sees so much of the power of mercy as now, 
nor of the virtue, value, and excellency of Christ in all his 
offices as now; nor is the tongue so sweetly enlarged to pro- 
claim and cry up grace, as now. Now will Christ come to 
be glorified in his saints, and admired in them that believe. 

Wherefore, though the saints receive by faith the forgive- 
ness of sins in this life, and so are passed from death to life, 
yet again, Christ Jesus, and God his Father, will have every 
one of these sins reckoned up again, and brought fresh upon 
the stage in the day of judgment, that they may see, and be 
sensible for ever, what grace and mercy hath laid hold upon 
them. And this I take to be the reason of that remarkable 



bo'j THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

saving of the apostle Peter, "Repent ye, therefore, and be 
converted, that yam sins may be blotted out, when the 
times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the 
Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was 
preached unto you : whom the heaven must receive until the 
times of restitution of all things, spoken of by the mouth of 
all the holy prophets since the world began. " 

If a sense of some sin, (for who sees all ?) and a sight of 
the love of God. will here so work upon the spirit of the 
godly ; what will a sight of all sin do. when together with it, 
they are personally present with their Lord and Saviour? 

Yea. if a sight of some sins, with a possibility of pardon, 
will make the heart love, reverence, and fear, with guiltless 
and heart-affecting fears : what will a general sight of all his 
sins, and together with them an eternal acquittance from 
them, work on the heart of a saint for ever? 

Yea, I say again, if a sight of sin. and the love of God, 
will make such work in that soul, where yet there is unbe- 
lief, blindness, mistrust, and forgetfulness, what will a sight 
of sin do in that soul, who is swallowed up of love ; who is 
sinless and temptationless : who hath ail faculties of soul 
and body strained, by love and grace, to the highest pin of 
perfection that is possible to be in glory enjoyed and pos- 
sessed? the wisdom and goodness of Grodj that he at this 
day should so turn about the worst of our things (even 
those that naturally tend to sink us. and damn us; for our 
great advantage ! All things shall work together for good, 
indeed, to them that love God. Those sins that brought a 
curse upon the whole world, that spilt the heart-blood of our 
dearest Saviour, and that laid his tender soul under the 
flaming wrath of God. shall, by his wisdom and love, tend 
to the exaltation of his grace, and the inflaming of our affec- 
tions to him for ever and ever. 

It will not be thus with devils; it will not be thus with 
reprobates : the saved only have this privilege peculiar to 



INQUIRY INTO THE GOOD DONE HERE. 337 

themselves. Wherefore, (to vary a little from the matter 
in hand) ; will Grod make that use of sin, even in our ac- 
counting of it, that shall in this manner work for our ad- 
vantage ? Why, then, let saints also make that advantage 
of their sin, as to glorify Grod thereby. Which is to be 
done, not by saying, Let us do evil that good may come, or, 
Let us sin that grace may abound; but by taking occasion 
by the sin that is past, to set the crown upon the head of 
Christ for our justification; continually looking upon it, so 
as to press us to cleave close to the Lord Jesus, to grace 
and mercy through him, and to the keeping of us humble 
for ever, under all his dispensations and carriages to us. 

2. Now having accounted for all their evil, and confessed 
to God's glory how they fell short, and did not the truth in 
this or that, or other particular; and having received their 
eternal acquittance, from the Lord and Judge, in the sight 
of both angels and saints; forthwith the Lord Jesus will 
make inquiry into all their good; the holy actions and deeds 
they did do in the world. Now here shall all things be reck- 
oned up, from the very first good thing that was done by 
Adam or Abel, to the last that will fall out to be done in 
the world : the good of all the holy prophets, of all apos- 
tles, pastors, teachers, and helps in the church. Here also 
will be brought forth and to light, all the good carriages of 
masters of families, of parents, of children, of servants, of 
neighbors, or whatever good things any man doth. 

But to be general and short. (1.) Here will be a recom- 
pense for all that have sincerely labored in the word and 
doctrine; I say, a recompense for all the souls they have 
saved by their word, and watered by the same. 

Now shall Paul the planter, and Apollos the waterer, with 
every one of their companions, receive the reward that is 
according to their works. 

Now all the preaching, praying, watching, and labor, thou 
hast been at, in thy endeavoring to catch men from Satan 

29 



338 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

to God, shall be rewarded with spangling glory. Not a son! 
thou hast converted to the Lord Jesus, nor a soul thou hast 
comforted, strengthened, or helped by wholesome counsel, 
admonition, and comfortable speech, but it shall stick as a 
pearl in that crown, which the Lord the righteous Judge 
shall give thee at that day; that is, if thou dost it willingly, 
delighting to lift up the name of God among men; if thou 
dost it with love, and longing after the salvation of sinners ; 
otherwise thou wilt have only thy labor for thy pains, and 
no more. If I do this willingly, I have a reward ; but if 
against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed to 
my charge. But I say, if thou do it graciously, then a re- 
ward followeth. "For what is our hope, our joy, our crown 
of rejoicing? Are not even ye," saith Paul, "in the pre- 
sence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ? for ye are 
our glory and joy." Let him, therefore, that Christ hath 
put into his harvest, take comfort in the midst of all his sor- 
row, and know that God acknowledgeth, that he that con- 
verteth a sinner from the error of his way, doth even save 
that soul from death, and covereth a multitude of sins. 
Wherefore labor to convert, labor to water, labor to build 
up, and to feed the flock of God which is among you, taking 
the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not 
for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; "and when the chief 
Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that 
fadeth not away." 

(2.) And as the minister of Christ's gospel shall at this day 
be recompensed; so shall also those more private saints be 
with tender affections and love looked on, and rewarded for 
all their work and labor of love, which they have showed to 
the name of Christ, in ministering to his saints, and suffer- 
ing for his sake. "Whatsoever good thing any man doeth, 
the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond 
or free." Ah! little do the people of God think how 
largely and thoroughly God will at that day own and re- 



THE REWARDS OP THE RIGHTEOUS. 339 

compense all the good and holy acts of his people. Every 
bit, every drop, every rag, and every night's harbor, though 
but in a wisp of straw, shall be rewarded in that day before 
men and angels. "Whosoever shall give to drink to one of 
these little ones a cup of cold water, only in the name of a 
disciple, verily I say unto you," saith Christ, "he shall in 
no wise lose a disciple's reward," "Therefore, when thou 
makest a feast," saith he, " call the poor, the maimed, the 
lame, and the blind : and thou shalt be blessed ; for they 
cannot recompense thee : for thou shalt be recompensed at 
the resurrection of the just." If there be any repentance 
among the godly at this day, it will be, because the Lord 
Jesus, in his person, members, and word, was no more 
owned, honored, entertained, and provided for by them, 
when they were in this world ; for it will be ravishing to all, 
to see what notice the Lord Jesus will then take of every 
widow's mite. He, I say, will call to mind, even all those 
acts of mercy and kindness which thou hast showed to him, 
when thou wast among men. I say, he will remember, cry 
up, and proclaim before angels and saints, those very acts 
of thine, which thou hast either forgotten, or, through bash- 
fulness, will not at that day count worth the owning. He 
will reckon them up so fast, and so fully, that thou wilt cry, 
Lord, when did I do this? and when did I do the other? 
" When saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee ? or thirsty 
and gave thee drink ? When saw we thee a stranger, and 
took thee in ? or naked, and clothed thee ? or when saw we 
thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee ? And the King 
shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, in- 
asmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these 
my brethren, ye have done it unto me." 'The good works 
of some are manifest beforehand, and they that are other- 
wise cannot be hid. Whatever thou hast done to one of the 
least of these my brethren, thou hast done it unto me. I 
felt the nourishment of thy food, and the warmth of thy 



340 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

fleece; I remember thy loving and holy visits, when my 
poor members were the sick, and in prison, and the like. 
When they were strangers, and wanderers in the world, thou 
tookest them in. "Well done, thou good and faithful ser- 
vant : enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." ' 

(3.) Here also will be a reward for all that hardness, and 
Christian enduring of affliction, that thou hast met with for 
thy Lord, whilst thou wast in the world. Here now will 
Christ begin from the greatest suffering, even to the least, 
and bestow a reward on them all; from the blood of the 
suffering saint, to the loss of an hair; nothing shall go un- 
rewarded: for these light afflictions, which are but for a 
moment, do work out for us a far more exceeding and 
eternal weight of glory. Behold, by the scriptures, how 
G-od hath recorded the sufferings of his people, and also how 
he hath promised to reward them. "Blessed are they which 
are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the 
kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile 
you, and shall speak all manner of evil against you falsely 
for my sake. Kejoice, and leap for joy, and be exceeding 
glad, for great is your reward in heaven." "And every 
one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or 
father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my 
name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit 
everlasting life." 

(4.) There is also a reward at this day, for all the more 
secret, and more retired works of Christianity. 1. There is 
not now one act of faith in the soul, either upon Christ, or 
against the devil and Antichrist, but it shall in this day be 
found out, and praised, honored, glorified, in the face of 
heaven. 2. There is not one groan to God in secret, against 
thine own lusts, and for more grace, light, spirit, sanctifica- 
tion, and strength, to go through this world like a Christian, 
but it shall even at the coming of Christ be rewarded openly. 
3. There hath not one tear dropped from thy tender eye 



SECRET GOODNESS REWARDED OPENLY. 341 

against thy lusts, the love of this world, or for more com- 
munion with Jesus Christ, but as it is now in the bottle of 
God, so then it shall bring forth such plenty of reward, that 
it shall return upon thee with abundance of increase. 
" Blessed are ye that weep now, for ye shall laugh." 
u Thou tellest my wanderings : put thou my tears into thy 
bottle ; are they not in thy book V 1 " They that sow in 
tears shall reap in joy." "He thatgoeth forth and weepeth, 
bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with re- 
joicing, bringing his sheaves with him." 

Having thus in brief showed you something concerning 
the resurrection of the saints, and that they shall account 
with their Lord at his coming, both for the burning up 
what was not according to the truth, and rewarding them 
for all their good; it remains that I now, in few words, 
show you something also of that with which they shall be 
rewarded. 

1. Then those that shall be found in the day of their res- 
urrection, when they shall have all their good things brought 
upon the stage — they, I say, that then shall be found the 
people most laborious for God while here, shall at that 
day enjoy the greatest portion of God, or shall be possessed 
with most of the glory of the Godhead then : for that is the 
portion of the saints in general. And why shall he that 
doth most for God in this world, enjoy most of him in that 
which is to come, but because by doing and acting, the 
heart, and every faculty of the soul is enlarged, and more 
capacitated, whereby more room is made for glory? Every 
vessel of glory shall at that day be full of it ; but every one 
will not be able to contain a like measure. And so if they 
should have it communicated to them, they would not be 
able to stand under it ; for there is an eternal weight in the 
glory that saints shall there enjoy; and every vessel must 
be at that day filled, that is, have its heavenly load of it. 

All Christians have not the same enjoyment of God in 
29* 



342 THE RESURRECTION OE THE DEAD. 

this life, neither indeed were they able to bear it, if they 
had it. But those Christians that are most laborious for 
God in this world, they have already most of him in their 
souls ; and that not only because diligence in God's ways, 
is the means whereby God communicates himself, but also 
because thereby the senses are made more strong and able, 
by reason of use, to understand God, and to discern both 
good and evil. For he that hath, to him shall be given, 
and he shall have more abundantly. He that laid out his 
pound for his master, and gained ten therewith, he was 
made ruler over ten cities ; but he that by his pound gained 
but five, he was made ruler over but five. Often he that is 
best bred in his youth, is best able to manage most when he 
is a man (touching things of this life) ; but always he that 
is best bred, and that is most in the bosom of God, and that 
so acts for him here, he is the man that will be best able to 
enjoy most of God in the kingdom of heaven. It is ob- 
servable, that Paul saith, Our afflictions work out for us a 
far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Our afflic- 
tions do it ; not only because there is laid up a reward for 
the afflicted, according to the measure of affliction; but 
because affliction, and so every service of God doth make 
the heart more deep, more experimental, more knowing and 
profound, and so more able to hold, contain, and bear more : 
" every man shall receive his own reward, according to his 
own labor." And this is the very reason of such sayings as 
these: "Lay up for yourselves a good foundation against 
the time to come, that you may lay hold on eternal life :" 
which eternal life is not the matter of our justification 
from sin in the sight of God; for that is done freely by 
grace through faith in Christ's blood; but as here the apostle 
speaks of giving alms, it is the same that in the other place 
he calls the "far more exceeding and eternal weight of 
glory." And hence it is that he, in his stirring them up to 
be diligent in good works, doth tell them, that he doth not 



NATURE AND MEASURE OF THE REWARDS. 3 13 

exhort them to it because he wanted, but because he would 
have, " fruit that might abound to their account." As he 
saith also in another place, " Beloved brethren, be steadfast, 
unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; 
forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the 
Lord." Therefore, I say, the reward that the saints shall 
have at this day, for all the good they have done, is the en- 
joyment of God according to their works; though they shall 
be freely justified and glorified without works. 

2. As the enjoyment of God at that day will be to the 
saints according to their works and doings (I speak not now 
of justification from sin); so will their praise and commenda- 
tions at that day be according to the same ; and both of them 
be their degrees of glory. For I say, as God by communi- 
cating of himself unto us at that day, will thereby glorify us ; 
so also he will (for the adding all things that may furnish 
with glory every way) cause to be proclaimed in the face of 
heaven, and in the presence of all the holy angels, every 
thing that hath been done by us for God, his ways and 
people, while we have been here. " Whatsoever ye have 
spoken in darkness, shall be heard in the light : and that 
which ye have spoken in the ear in closets, shall be pro- 
claimed upon the house-tops. " Again, "He that shall 
confess me," saith he, " before men, him will I confess 
before the angels of God." 

Now as he of whom Christ is ashamed when he comes in 
his glory, and in the glory of the holy angels, will then lie 
under inconceivable disgrace, shame, dishonor, and con- 
tempt; so he whom Christ shall confess, own, commend, 
and praise at that day, must needs have very great dignity, 
honor, and renown ; for then, shall every man have praise 
of God, namely, according to his works. Now will Christ 
proclaim before thee, and all others, what thou hast done, 
and what thou hast suffered, what thou hast owned, and 
what thou hast withstood for his name. ( This is he that 



344 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

forsook his goods, his relations, his country, and life for me ! 
This is the man that overcame the flatteries and threats, 
allurements and enticings of a whole world for me ! Behold 
him, he is an Israelite indeed — the top man in his genera- 
tion — none like him in all the earth !' 

It is said, that when king Ahasuerus had understanding 
of how good service Mordecai the Jew had done to and for 
him, he commanded that the royal apparel and the crown, 
with the horse that the king did ride on, should be given to 
him, and that he should with that crown, apparel, and horse, 
be led through the city, in the presence of all his nobles, 
and that proclamation should be made before him, " Thus 
shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to 
honor. " Ahasuerus in this way was a type to hold forth to 
the children of God, how kindly he will take all their labor 
and service of love, and how he will honor and dignify the 
same. As Christ saith, " Let your loins be girded about, 
and your lights burning ; and ye yourselves like unto men 
that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wed- 
ding ) that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may open 
to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the 
Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching: Yerily I say 
unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit 
down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." The 
meaning is, that those souls that shall make it their business 
to honor the Lord Jesus Christ in the day of their tempta- 
tion, he will make it his business to honor and glorify them 
in the day of his glorification: "Yerily, I say unto you, that 
he will make them sit down to meat, and shall come forth 
and serve them." " If any man will serve me," saith he, 
" him will my Father honor." It hath been G-od's way in 
this world, to proclaim the acts and doings of his saints in 
his word, before all in this world, and he will do it in that 
which is to come. 

3. Another thing that shall be yet added to the glory of 



HONOR AND GLORY PUT ON THE SAINTS. 345 

the saints, in the kingdom of their Saviour, at his coming, 
is, they shall every one of them then have his throne and 
place of degree on Christ's right hand and on his left, in his 
glorious kingdom, according to the relation they stand in to 
Christ, as the members of his body. For as Christ will have 
a special eye on us, and a tender and affectionate heart, to 
recompense to the full, every good thing that any man doeth 
for his name in the world; so also he will have as great re- 
gard, that there be to every member of his body, the place 
and state that is comely for every such member. When the 
mother of Zebedee's children petitioned our Saviour, that he 
would grant to her, that her two sons might sit, the one on 
the right hand, and the other on the left, in his kingdom, 
though he did not grant to her the request for her children, 
yet he affirmed, that there would be places of degrees and 
honor in heaven, saying, " To sit on my right hand, and on 
my left, is not mine to give ; but it shall be given to them 
for whom it is prepared of my Father." 

In the temple there were chambers bigger and lesser, 
higher and lower, more inward and more outward ; which 
chambers were types of the mansions that our Lord, when 
he went away, told us he went to prepare for us. "In my 
Father's house are many mansions : if it were not so, I 
would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." 
The foot here shall not have the place prepared for the eye ; 
nor yet the hand, that which is prepared for the ear; but 
every one shall have his own place in the body of Christ, 
and the glory also prepared for such a relation. Order, as 
it is comely in earth, so much more in the kingdom of the 
God of order, in heaven, where all things shall be done in 
their utmost perfections. Here shall Enoch, Noah, Abra- 
ham, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, with the prophets, 
have every one his place, according to the degree of Old 
Testament saints. As Grod said to Daniel, " GrO thou thy 
way till the end be : for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot 



346 THE RESURRECTION 01 THE DEAD. 

at the end of the days." And here also, shall Peter, Paul, 
Timothy, and all the other church-officers, have their place, 
and heavenly state, according as G-od hath set them in the 
Church in the Xew Testament. As Paul saith of the dea- 
cons, "They that use the office of a deacon well, purchase 
to themselves a good degree — and great boldness in the faith 
■which is in Christ." And so of all other saints, be they 
here of what rank, quality, or place in the Church soever, 
they shall have every one his state, his heavenly state, ac- 
cording as he standeth in the body of Christ : as he saith, 
"seeing those members that are most feeble; are necessary, 
to them shall be given more abundant honor." 

Of this heavenly order in the kingdom of Christ, when his 
saints are risen from the dead, was Solomon a notable type, 
in his family and among his servants and officers; who kept 
such exactness in the famous order in which he had placed 
all about him, that it did amaze and confound beholders. 
For when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solo- 
mon, and the house which he built, and the meat of his 
table, the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his 
ministers and their apparel, his cup-bearers also and their 
apparel, and the ascent by which he went up into the house 
of the Lord; there was no more spirit in her. "Glorious 
things are spoken of thee, thou city of Grod I" 



CHAPTER V, 

RESURRECTION OP THE UNJUST. 

Having gone this far, I shall now come to the second 
part of the text, namely, that there shall be a resurrection of 
the wicked : " There shall be a resurrection of the dead, 
both of the just and unjust." For as the just go before the 
unjust, in name, and dignity, and honor; so they shall, in 
the last day, go before them in the resurrection. 

Now, then, when the saints have thus risen out of their 
graves, given up their accounts, received their glory, and 
are set upon the thrones (for " there are set thrones of 
judgment, the thrones of the house of David") ; when, I 
say, they are all of them in royal apparel, with crowns of 
glory, every one presenting the person of a king ; then come 
the unjust out of their graves, to receive their judgment for 
what they have done in the body; as Paul saith, "We must 
all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every 
one" (both saints and sinners) " may receive the things done 
in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be 
good or bad." 

But now, because I would prove by the word of God, 
whatever I would have others receive for a truth, therefore 
I shall in a few particulars, prove the resurrection of the 
wicked. 

1. First, then, It is evident, that the wicked shall rise, 
from the very terms and names that the raised shall then 
go under; which are the very same names that they did go 
under when they lived in this world. They are called the 
heathen, the nations, the world, the wicked, and those that 
do iniquity; they are called men, women, Sodom, Sidon, 

(347) 



348 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

Bethsaida, Capernaum, and Tyre. Then " the men of Ni- 
neve shall rise np in judgment; the queen of the south 
shall rise up in the judgment; and it shall be more tolerable 
for Sodom in the day of judgment," than for other sinners 
that have resisted more light. " The heavens and the earth 
that now are, are kept in store, reserved unto fire against 
the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men." Now, 
these terms, or names, are not given to the spirits of the 
wicked only; but to them as consisting of body and soul. 
Further, Christ tells his adversaries, when they had appre- 
hended him, and shamefully treated him, that yet they 
should see him sit on the right hand of power, and coming 
in the clouds of heaven; as John also doth testify. "Be- 
hold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, 
and they also that pierced him; and all the kindreds of the 
earth shall wail because of him." Now none of these say- 
ings are yet fulfilled; neither shall they be until his second 
coming. For though the Jews did many of them see him, 
when he did hang upon the cross ; yet then he was not com- 
ing in the clouds of heaven; neither did then all kindreds 
of the earth wail because of him. No; this is reserved till 
he comes to judge the world; for then shall the ungodly be 
so put to it, that gladly would they creep into the most in- 
visible rock or mountain under heaven, to hide themselves 
from his face and the majesty of his heavenly presence. 
There shall therefore, that this may be brought to pass, be 
a resurrection of the dead, "both of the just and unjust." 
For though an opinion of no resurrection may now lull men 
asleep, in security and impiety; yet the Lord, when he 
comes, will rouse them, and cause them to awake, not only 
out of their security, but out of their graves, to their doom ; 
that they may receive for their error the recompense that is 
meet. 

2. The body of the ungodly must, at last, arise out of 
the grave, because that body and their soul, while they lived 



EXTENDS TO THE UNJUST. 349 

in the world, were copartners in their lusts and wickedness. 
God is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 
" He will therefore bring every work into judgment, with 
every secret thing." And as he will bring into judgment 
every work ; so will he also the workers thereof, even " the 
dead, small and great." It is not in God to lay the punish- 
ment where the fault is not, neither to punish a part of the 
damned for the whole. " With righteousness shall he judge 
the world, and the people with equity." " Shall not the 
judge of all the earth do right ?" As therefore, the body 
was copartner with the soul in sinning, so shall every man 
receive the things done in his body, according to what he 
hath done. Wherefore he saith in another place, " Behold 
I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every 
man according as his work shall be." There shall there- 
fore be " a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and 
unjust." 

3. The body of the wicked must rise again ; because, as 
the whole man of the just also is the vessel of mercy and 
glory, so the whole man of the unjust is the vessel of wrath 
and destruction : " There are," saith Paul, " in a great 
house, not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood 
and of earth; and some to honor and some to dishonor." 
Now, as he showeth us, these vessels to honor, are the 
good men, and the vessels to dishonor are the bad. Now, 
as the vessels to dishonor are called the vessels of wrath ; so 
it is said, that God, with much long suffering, doth suffer 
them to be fitted to destruction. How they are thus fitted, 
he also further showeth, where he saith, they do, "after 
their hard and impenitent heart, treasure up wrath against 
the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judg- 
ment of God." Which treasure of wickedness, James saith, 
is treasured up " against the last days," which is the time 
of judgment. And observe it, he saith, that it shall then 
"eat their flesh as it were fire." Now, then, their bodies 

30 



350 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. ; 

"being the vessels of the wrath of God; and again, seeing 
with this wrath they must be so possessed* at the last day, 
that their flesh must with it be eaten, it is evident that 
their body must rise again out of their graves, and appear 
before the judgment-seat; for it is from thence that each 
of them must go, with this full load, to their long and eter- 
nal home, u where their worm dieth not and the fire is not 
quenched." 

4. The severity of the hand of God towards his children, 
with his forbearance of his enemies, doth clearly bespeak a 
resurrection of the ungodly, that they may receive the re- 
ward for their wickedness which they have committed in this 
world. We know, that while " the eyes of the wicked stand 
out with fatness, the godly are plagued all the day long, and 
chastened every morning." " Wherefore it is evident, that the 
place and time of the punishment of the ungodly, is in 
another world. " If judgment begin at the house of God, 
what will the end of them be that obey not the gospel of 
God ? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall 
the ungodly and sinner appear?" Alas, poor creatures! 
they now "plot against the righteous, and gnash upon them 
with their teeth ; but the Lord laugheth at them ; for he 
seeth their day is coming;'* for as he saith, the " wicked is re- 
served (or let alone in his wickedness) to the day of destruc- 
tion, and shall then be brought forth to the day of wrath ;" 
though, in the mean time, he may go to his grave in his 
banner, and rest within his tomb. As Peter saith again, 
" The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of tempta- 
tions, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to 
be punished."" And Jude saith, "For them is reserved the 
blackness of darkness for ever.'" The punishment of the 
ungodly, is reserved till the day of judgment, which will be 
the time of their resurrection. Observe, (1.) The wicked 
must be punished. (2.) The time of their punishment is 
not now, but at the day of judgment. (3.) This day of 



THE WICKED MUST ARISE. 351 

judgment must be the same with the resurrection of the 
dead, at the end of this world. "As therefore the tares are 
gathered and burned in the fire ; so shall it be in the end 
of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, 
and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that 
offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into 
a furnace of fire : there shall be wailing and gnashing of 
teeth. " There shall then be " a resurrection of the dead, 
both of the just and unjust." 

5. The sovereignty of the Lord Jesus over all creatures, 
doth plainly foreshow a resurrection of the bad, as well as 
of the good. Indeed, the unjust shall not arise, by virtue 
of any relation they stand in to the Lord Jesus, as the saints 
shall ; but yet, because all are delivered into his hand, and 
he made sovereign Lord over them, therefore by an act of 
his sovereign power, they that are ungodly shall arise. This 
is Christ's own argument, " The Father judgeth no man," 
saith he, " but hath committed all judgment unto the Son 
that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the 
Father" (that is, count him, and fall before him as their 
sovereign Lord) : " and he hath given him authority to exe- 
cute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." And 
then he adds, " Marvel not at this : for the hour is coming, 
in the which all that are in th engraves shall hear his voice, 
and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the 
resurrection of life ; and they that have done evil unto the 
resurrection of damnation." From hence Paul argueth, 
saying, "For this cause he both died, rose and revived, 
that he might be Lord both of the dead, and living." And 
then adds, " We must all stand before the judgment-seat of 
Christ." 

Pray, mind these words. Jesus Christ by his death and 
resurrection, did not only purchase grace and remission of 
sins for his elect, with their eternal glory; but did thereby 
also obtain of the Father, to be Lord and head over all 



352 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

things, whether they be things in heaven, or things on earth, 
or things under the earth. "All power/' saith he, "in 
heaven and in earth, is given nnto me," and " I have the 
keys of hell and of death." So that all things, I say 
"whether they be visible or invisible, whether they be 
thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers ; all things 
were created by him, and for him." This being thus, at 
the name of Jesus every knee must bow, and every tongue 
shall confess that he is sovereign Lord, to the glory of G-od 
the Father. Now, that this may be done, he hath his reso- 
lutions upon a judgment day, in which he, to show himself, 
his people, his way, and word in their glory, will have all 
his enemies raised out of their graves, and brought before 
him, where he will sit in judgment upon them on the 
throne of his glory, and will show them then, " who is the 
blessed and only Potentate the King of kings, and Lord of 
lords." 

"Behold, he cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to 
execute judgment upon all; and to convince all that are 
ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they 
have committed, and of all their hard speeches which un- 
godly sinners have spoken against him." 

6. The great preparation that G-od hath made for the 
judgment of the wicked, jloth clearly demonstrate their 
rising forth out of their graves. 1. He hath appointed the 
day of their rising. 2. He hath appointed their judge to 
judge them. 3. He hath recorded their acts and doings 
against that day. 4. He hath also already appointed the 
witnesses to come in against them. 5. The instruments of 
death and misery, are already prepared for them. 

For the first, He hath appointed the day of their rising, 
which day John calleth "the time of the dead, that they 
should be judged." "Which time, Paul saith, is a time 
fixed; " He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge 
the world," &c. This time and day, Christ brings down to 



THE PREPARATIONS MADE. 353 

an hour, saying, "The hour is coming, when all that are in 
their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth." 

As he hath appointed the day, so he hath appointed the 
judge; "He hath appointed a day, in the which he will 
judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath 
ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in 
that he hath raised him from the dead." This man is 
Jesus Christ; for "it is he that is ordained of God, to be 
the judge of the quick and the dead." 

All their deeds and works, to a word and thought, are 
every one already recorded and enrolled in the books of the 
laws of heaven against that day. "The sin of Judah is 
written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond, 
upon the table of their heart." And again, saith God, 
"Write it in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be 
for the time to come, for ever and ever, that this is a rebel- 
lious house." 

God hath prepared his witnesses against this day. 

The instruments of death and eternal misery, are already 
prepared. "He hath prepared for them the instruments of 
death; he hath ordained his arrows against the face of per- 
secutors." Hell "is of old prepared; he hath made it deep 
and large;" the fire, the everlasting fire, is also now of a 
long time prepared ; the heavy weights of God's curse are 
also ready, and "their damnation now of a long time slum- 
bereth not." But now, I say, how ridiculous a business 
would all this be, if these things should be all prepared of 
the only wise God, and there should be none to be judged; 
or if he that is ordained judge, should not, either through 
want of power or will, command these rebels, and force 
them before his judgment-seat. Glad, indeed, would the 
sinners be, if things might be so ; glad, I say, at very heart, 
if they might be in their secret places of darkness and the 
grave for ever. But it must not be. The day of their 
rising is set; the judge is appointed; their deeds are writ- 

30* 



354 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

ten; the deep dungeon is with open month, ever waiting for 
them: wherefore, at the day appointed, neither earth, nor 
death, nor hell can hinder. " There shall be a resurrection 
of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 

7. Lastly, Besides what hath been said, I cannot but be- 
lieve there shall be a resurrection of the wicked at the last 
day, because of the ungodly consequences and errors that do 
most naturally follow the denial thereof. 

For, (1.) He that taketh away the doctrine of the resur- 
rection of the wicked, he taketh away one of the main argu- 
ments that G-od hath provided to convince a sinner of the 
evil of his ways. For how shall a sinner be convinced of 
the evil of sin, if he be not convinced of the certainty of 
eternal judgment? and how shall he be convinced of eternal 
judgment, if you persuade him, that when he is dead, he 
shall not at all rise? especially seeing the resurrection of 
the dead and eternal judgment, must unavoidably be one 
the forerunner of the other. It was Paul's reasoning of 
righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, that made 
Felix tremble. It is this also he calleth the argument of 
terror, wherewith he persuaded men. This was Solomon's 
argument, and Christ's also, where he saith, that every idle 
word that man shall speak, he shall give an account thereof 
in the day of judgment. 

(2.) They that deny the resurrection of the wicked, do 
both allow and maintain the chief doctrine of the Ranters,* 
with most of the debauched persons in the world. For the 
Ranters deny it both in principle and practice, and the 
others in practice at least. Now, to me it is very strange, 
that these men, above all others, should both know and live 
in the doctrines of the kingdom of Glod; especially, seeing 



* The Ranters were a mystical sect, who arose in England, A. 3). 1645. They ad- 
vocated the light of nature, like modern deceivers, under the name of Ghrist within. 
Bunyan's " Gospel Truths Opened?'' was written against them. — J. N. B. 



A MAIN ARGUMENT FOIt CONVICTION. 355 

the denial hereof is an evident token of one appointed to 
wrath and destruction. But, to be plain, " there shall be a 
resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 
Wherefore, whatever others may say or profess, being be- 
guiled by Satan, and their own hearts, yet do thou "fear 
him that can destroy both body and soul in hell." 



CHAPTER VI. 

MANNER OF RISING OF THE UNJUST. 

There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the 
just and unjust. " And the sea gave up the dead that were 
in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead that were in 
them/ 7 

Having, in the first place, showed you, that the wicked 
must arise, I shall, in the next place, show you the manner 
of their rising. And, observe it, as the very titles of the 
"just" and "unjust" are opposites, so they are in all other 
matters, and in their resurrections. 

First, then, as the just in their resurrection do come forth 
in incorruption; the unjust in their resurrection shall come 
forth in iheir-corruptions. For though the ungodly at their 
resurrection shall for ever after be incapable of having both 
body and soul separate ; or, of their being annihilated into 
nothing; yet it shall be far from them to rise in incorrup- 
tion. For if they arise in incorruption, they must arise to 
life, and also must have the conquest over sin and death. 
But that they shall not; for it is the righteous only that 
put on incorruption — that are swallowed up of life. The re- 
surrection of the wicked, is called the "resurrection of damna- 
tion." These, in their very resurrection shall be "hurt of the 
second death." They shall arise in death, and shall be un- 
der it, under the gnawings and terrors of it, all the time of 
their arraignment. As it were, a living death shall feed 
upon them ; they shall never be spiritually alive, nor yet 
absolutely dead ; but much after that manner that natural 
death, and hell, by reason of guilt, do feed on him that is 
going before the judge to receive his condemnation to the 
(356) 



THE UNJUST IN DREAD AND DISHONOR. 357 

gallows. You know, though a felon go forth of the jail, 
when he is going to the bar for his arraignment, yet he is 
not out of prison, or out of his irons, for that ; his fetters 
are still making a noise on his heels, and the thought of 
what he is to hear by and by from the judge, is still fright- 
ening and afflicting his heart. Death, like some evil spirit 
or ghost, doth continually haunt him, and playeth the 
butcher continually in his soul and conscience, with frights 
and fears about the thoughts of the sudden and insupporta- 
ble after-clap, which by and by he is to meet withal. 

Thus, I say, will the wicked come out of their graves, 
having yet the chains of eternal death hanging on them, and 
the talons of that dreadful ghost fastened in their souls ; so 
that life will be far from them, even as far as heaven is from 
hell. This morning to them, is even as the shadow of 
death. They will then be in the very terrors of the shadow 
of death : as Christ saith, " Their worm never dies, and 
their fire is never quenched." From death to eternity it 
never shall be quenched : their bed is now among the 
flames, and when they rise, they will rise in flames ; while 
they stand before the judge, it will be in flames, even the 
flames of a guilty conscience. They will in their coming 
before the judge, be within the very jaws of death and 
destruction. Thus, I say, the ungodly shall be far off from 
rising as the saints ; for they will be ever in the region and 
shadow of death. The first moment of their rising, death 
will be ever over them, ever feeding on their souls, and ever 
presenting to their hearts the heights and depths of the 
misery that now must seize them, and, like a bottomless 
gulf, must swallow them up. "They shall come out of 
their holes like worms of the earth, and be afraid of the 
Lord our God." 

2. As the resurrection of the godly shall be a resurrection 
in glory ; so the resurrection of the wicked, will be a res- 
urrection of dishonor. Yea, as the glory of saints at the 



358 THE RESURRECTION OE THE DEAD. , 

day of their rising will be glory unspeakable ; so the dis- 
honor of the ungodly at that day, will be dishonor beyond 
expression. As Daniel saith ; the good shall rise to ever- 
lasting life, but the wicked to " shame and everlasting con- 
tempt. " And again, " When thou, G-od, awakest," that 
is, to judge them, "thoushalt despise their image/' Never 
was a toad or serpent more loathsome to any than these will 
be in the eyes of Grod, in their rising forth of their graves. 
When they go to their graves (saith Job) " their bones are 
full of the sin of their youth, which shall lie down with 
them in the dust." And they shall arise in the same noisome 
and stinking condition; for as death leaves, so judgment 
finds them. At the resurrection then of these ungodly, they 
will be in a very loathsome condition. 

The ungodly at their death are like the thistle seed : but 
at their rising, they will be like the thistle grown ; more 
noisome, offensive, and provoking to rejection, abundantly. 
Then such dishonor, shame, and contempt, will appear in 
them, that neither Grod nor Christ, saints nor angels, will so 
much as once regard them, or vouchsafe once to come near 
them. " He beholdeth the wicked afar off." Because in 
the day of grace they would not come to him, and be 
saved, therefore now they shall all like thorns be thrust away 
as with fences of iron. Their rising is called the resurrec- 
tion of the " unjust ;" and so they at that day will appear, and 
will more stink in the nostrils of God, and all the heavenly 
hosts, than if they had the most irksome plague-sores in the 
world running on them. If a man at his birth be counted 
as one cast forth to the loathing of his person; how loath- 
some and irksome, dishonorable and contemptible, will 
those be that shall arise Godless, Christless, Spiritless, and 
graceless, when the trumpet sounds to their judgment; they 
then coming out of their graves far more loathsome and 
filthy, than if they should ascend out of the most filthy hole 
on earth ! 



THE UNJUST IN WEAKNESS AND DESPAIR. 359 

3. As the just shall rise in power; so the wicked and 
unjust, in weakness and astonishment. Sin and guilt bring 
weakness and faintness in this life ; how much more, when 
both, with all their power and force, like a giant, fasten on 
them ! As God saith, " Can thy hands he strong, and can 
thy heart endure, in the day that I shall deal with thee V 
Now will the ghastly jaws of despair gape upon thee, and 
now will the condemnings of conscience, like thunder-claps, 
continually batter against thy weary spirits. It is the 
godly that have boldness in the day of judgment ; but the 
wicked will be like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 
Oh ! the fear, and the heart-aching that will seize them in 
their rising ! The frightful thoughts that then will fill 
their throbbing hearts ! Now must that soul that hath 
been in hell-fire among the devils possess the body again — 
possess it, I say, but with the scalding stink of hell upon it. 
They shall not be able to lift up the head for ever : "pangs 
shall take hold on them ; all their hands shall faint, and 
every man's heart shall melt ; they shall be amazed one at 
another; their faces shall be as flames." Every thing they 
see, hear, or think of, shall tend to their discomfort. They 
must needs be weak whom God hath left, whom guilt hath 
seized, and whom death is swallowing up for ever ! 

4. As the just shall arise in spiritual bodies, so the unjust 
shall arise only as mere naked lumps of sinful nature; 
not having the least help from God to bear them up under 
this condition. Wherefore, so soon as ever they are risen 
out of their graves, they will feel a continual sinking 
under every remembrance of every sin, and thoughts of 
judgment. In their rising, they fall ; fall, I say, thence- 
forth and for ever. And for this reason the dungeon into 
which they fall, is called bottomless ; because as there will 
be no end of their misery, so there will be no stay or 
prop to bear them up in it. Only as I said before, they 



360 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

shall not now, as afore, be separate body from soul; but 
both together be bound in the cords of sin and iniquity, 
in which they shall now tremble as thieves and murderers 
do, as they go before the judge, to hear what he will say 
unto them. 



CHAPTER VII. 

THE BOOKS OPENED FOR JUDGMENT. 

Now, when the wicked are thus raised out of their graves, 
they shall, together with all the angels of darkness, their 
fellow-prisoners, be brought up, being shackled in their sins, 
to the place of judgment; where there shall sit upon them 
Jesus Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, the Lord 
Chief Judge of things in heaven and earth, and things 
under the earth. On whose right hand and left, shall sit 
all the princes and heavenly nobles, the saints and prophets, 
the apostles and witnesses of Jesus ; every one in his kingly 
attire upon the throne of his glory. Then shall be fulfilled 
that which is written, " As for these my enemies, that would 
not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay 
them before me." 

When every one is thus set in his proper place, the Judge 
on his throne, with his attendants, and the prisoners coming 
up to judgment, forthwith there shall issue forth a mighty 
fire and tempest from before the throne, which shall compass 
it round about. Which fire shall be as bars and bounds to 
the wicked, to keep them at a certain distance from the 
heavenly Majesty. As David saith, " Our Grod shall come, 
and shall not keep silence : a fire shall devour before him, 
and it shall be very tempestuous round about him." And 
again, Daniel saith, " His throne was like the fiery flame, 
and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued, and 
came forth from before him," &c. 

This preparation being made, namely, the Judge with his 
attendance on the throne, the bar for the prisoners, and the 
rebels all standing with ghastly jaws, to look for what comes 
31 ' (361) 



362 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

after; presently the books are brought forth, namely, the 
books both of death and life ; and every one of them opened 
before the sinners, now to be judged and condemned. For 
after that he had said before, " A fiery stream issued, and 
came forth from before him," he adds, " thousand thousands 
ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand 
stood before him : the judgment was set and the books were 
opened." And again, " I saw a great white throne, and 
him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the 
heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before G-od : 
and the books were opened; and another book was opened, 
which is the book of life : And the dead were judged out 
the things which were written in the books, according to 
their works." 

He doth not say, the book was opened, as of one ; but the 
books, as of many. And indeed, they are more than one, 
two, or three, out of which the dead shall in the judgment 
be proceeded against. 

There is 1. The book of the Creation to be opened. 2. 
The book of G-od's Remembrance. 3. The book of the 
Law. 4. The book of Life. For by every one of these, 
that is, out of what is written in them, shall the ungodly be 
judged. 

"And the books were opened." 

I. The book of the Creation shall be opened. And that, 
first, As it concerns man's nature; and next, As it relates 
to all other creatures. 

First, He will show in what the principles of nature 
were, as they were God's creation; and how contrary to 
these principles the world have walked, acted, and done. 
The principles of nature are concluded under these three 
general heads. 

1. That man, by his own natural reason and judgment, 
may gather, that there is a God; a deity, a first chief, or 



THE BOOK OF CREATION. 363 

principal being, who is over all, and supreme above all. 
This instinct, I say, man, merely as he is a rational creature, 
findeth in himself. And hence it is, that all heathens that 
mind their own natural reason, do conclude, that " we are 
his offspring/' that is, his creation and workmanship; that 
" he made heaven and earth," and " hath made of one blood 
all nations of men;" that "In him we live and move and 
have our being," &c. 

It appears further, that man, by his own nature, doth 
know that there is such a God. 

(1.) By his being able to judge by nature, that there is 
such a thing as sin. As Christ saith, "Why do ye not 
even of yourselves judge that which is right ?" as if he had 
said, you are degenerated even from the principles of na- 
ture and right reason. As Paul saith in another place, 
"Doth not even nature itself teach you?" Now he that 
can judge, that there is such a thing as sin, it must of ne- 
cessity be, that he understandeth that there is a God, to 
whom sin is opposite : for if there be no God, there is no 
sin against him; and he that knows not the one, knows not 
the other. 

(2.) It is evident further, that man by nature knows that 
there is a God, by those fits of fear and dread that are often 
begotten in themselves, even in every man that breatheth in 
this world. For they are by their own consciences and 
thoughts, convicted and reproved, judged and condemned, 
though they know neither Moses nor Christ. " For the Gen- 
tiles, which have not the law," saith Paul, " these are a law 
to themselves, and show the work of the law written in 
their hearts;" that is, by this very thing, they hold forth 
to all men, that God created them in that state and quality, 
that they might, in and by their own nature, judge and 
know that there is a God. And it further showeth itself, 
saith he, by those workings of heart, convictions of con- 
science, and accusations, that every thought maketh within 



364 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

them ; together with the fear that is begotten in them, when 
they transgress, or do those things that are irrational, or 
contrary to what they see they should do. I might add 
further, that the natural proneness that is in all men to de- 
votion and religion, that is, of one kind or another, doth 
clearly tell us, that they, by the book of nature, which book 
is themselves, do read, that there is one great and eternal 
God. 

2. The second principle of nature is, that this God should 
~by men he sought after, that they might enjoy communion 
with him for ever. As I said before, the light of nature 
showeth man, that there is a great God, even God that 
made the world ; and the end of its showing him this is, 
'•that they might seek the Lord, if haply they may feel 
after him, and find him, though he be not far from every 
one of us," &c. 

3. This light of nature teacheth, that men beticeen them- 
selves, shoidd do that which is just and equal. As Moses 
said, and that long before the law was given, "Sirs, ye are 
brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?" As if he 
should say, ' You are of equal creation, you are the same 
flesh : you both judge, that it is not equally done of any to 
do you wrong, and therefore ought to judge by the same 
reason, that ye ought not to wrong one another/ 

Now, against every one of these three principles hath 
every man in the whole world transgressed : as Paul saith ; 
*' For both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin." 

1. For, as touching the first, who is he that hath honored, 
reverenced, worshipped, and adored the living God, to the 
height both of what they saw in him, and also according to 
the goodness and mercy they have as men, received from 
him? All have "served and worshipped the creature more 
than the Creator, who is blessed for ever/' and so have 
walked contrary to, and have sinned against this bond of 
nature, in this first principle of it. 



ALL MANKIND UNDER SIN. 365 

2. Men, instead of minding their own future happiness, 
as nature teacheth, have, through their giving way to sin 
and Satan, minded nothing less : for though reason teacheth 
all men to love that which is good and profitable, yet they, 
contrary to this, have loved that which is hurtful and de- 
structive. Yea, though sense teacheth to avoid the danger 
that is manifest; yet man, contrary to reason and sense 
both, even all men have, both against light and feeling, re- 
jected their own happiness. As Paul saith, " though they 
know the judgment of God, that they which do such things 
are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but take 
pleasure in them that do them." 

3. Man, instead of doing equity, and as he would be done 
by, which nature itself teacheth, hath given up himself un- 
to vile affections. " Being filled" (by refusing the dictates 
of nature) "with all unrighteousness, fornication, wicked- 
ness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, debate, ma- 
lignity, whispering, backbiting; to hate God, to be despite- 
ful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to 
parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without 
natural affections, implacable, unmerciful." 

And observe it, he doth not say, that all these things are 
by every man put into practice; but every man hath all 
these in his heart, which there defile the soul, and make it 
abominable in the sight of God. " They are filled with all 
unrighteousness;" which also appears, as occasion serveth, 
sometimes one of them, sometimes more. Now, man hav- 
ing sinned against the natural light, judgment, reason, and 
conscience, that God hath given him : therefore, though, as 
I said before, he neither knew Moses nor Christ, yet he shall 
perish. "As many," saith Paul, "as have sinned without 
law, shall perish without law." 

Yea, here will man be found, not only a sinner against 
God, but an opposer of himself, a contradictor of his own 
nature, and one that will not do that which he judgeth even 

31* 



366 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

of himself to be right. Their sin is written upon the tables 
of their own hearts, and their own wickedness and backslid- 
ing shall both correct and reprove them. 

It is marvellous, if we consider how curious a creature 
man was made of God, to behold how much below, besides, 
and against, that state and place, man acts and does in this 
state of sin and degeneracy. Man, in his creation, was made 
in the image of God ; but man, by reason of his yielding to 
the tempter, hath made himself the very figure and image 
of the devil. Man by creation, was made upright and sin- 
less; but man, by sin, hath made himself crooked and sin- 
ful. Man, by creation, had all the faculties of his soul at 
liberty, to study God his Creator, and his glorious attributes 
and being; but man, by sin, hath so bound up his own 
senses and reason, and hath given way for blindness and 
ignorance of G-od so to reign in his soul, that now he is 
captivated, and held bound in alienation and estrangedness, 
both from God, and all things truly spiritually good. " Be- 
cause," saith Paul, "when they knew God, they glorified 
him not as God ; but became vain in their imagination, and 
their foolish hearts were darkened." And again, " Having 
the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life 
of God, through the ignorance that is in them, through the 
blindness of their hearts." 

Now for this abuse of the workmanship of God, shall man 
be brought forth to the judgment, shall be convicted, cast, 
and condemned as a rebel, against both God and his own 
soul; as Paul amrmeth, and that when he reasoned but as 
a man. 

"When this part of the book touching man's nature is 
opened, and man convicted and cast by it, by reason of his 
sinning against the three general principles thereof, then 
forthwith is the second part of the book opened, which is 
the mystery of the creatures. For the whole of the crea- 
tion before thee are not only made to show the power of God 



ALL CREATURES SPEAK FOR GOD. S67 

in themselves, but also to teach thee, and to preach unto 
thee, both much of God and thyself, as also the righteous- 
ness and justice of God against sin. "For the wrath of 
God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness and 
unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteous- 
ness; because that which may be known of God is manifest 
in them : for God hath showed it unto them. For the in- 
visible things of him from the creation of the world, are 
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, 
even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are with- 
out excuse." 

The several parts then of the world, namely, the heavens, 
earth, sun, moon, stars, with all the other creatures of God, 
do preach aloud to all men, the eternal power and God- 
head of their Creator. In wisdom he hath made them all, 
to be teachable, and carry instruction in them; and he 
that is wise and will understand these things, even he shall 
understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. " For the works 
of the Lord are great, and sought out of all them that have 
pleasure therein." 

2. As the creation in general preacheth to every man 
something of God; so all its parts do hold forth how men 
should behave themselves both to God, and to one another; 
and will assuredly come in, at the judgment, against all 
those that shall be found crossers and thwarters of what 
God, by the creatures, doth hold forth to us. 

As, (1.) The obedience of the creatures both to God and 
thee. 1. To God, they are all in subjection (set devils 
and men aside), even the very dragons, and all deeps, fire, 
hail, snow, and vapors, fulfilling his word. Yea the wind 
and seas obey him. Thus, I say, by their obedience to 
God, they teach thee obedience, and by their obedience shall 
thy disobedience be condemned in the judgment. 2. Their 
obedience to thee also, teacheth thee obedience to all sup 3- 
ri-ors; "for every kind of beasts, and of birds, and serpents, 



368 THE RESURRECTION OE THE DEAD. 

and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed/' and 
brought into obedience by mankind. Man only remains 
untamed, and unruly, and therefore by these is condemned. 

(2.) The fruitfulness of all the creatures, in their kind, 
doth teach and admonish thee to a fruitful life to G-odward, 
and in the things of his holy word. G-od did but say in the 
beginning, Let the earth bring forth fruit, grass, herbs, 
trees, beasts, creeping things, and cattle after their kind; 
and it was so. But to man he hath sent his prophets, 
rising early, and sending them, saying, " do not this abo- 
minable thing that I hate !" but they will not obey. For 
if the Grentiles which have not the law, do, by some acts of 
obedience, condemn the wickedness of those, who do by the 
letter and circumcision break the law; how much more shall 
the fruitfulness of all the creatures come in at the judg- 
ment, against the whole world ! As Job saith, By the obe- 
dience and fruitfulness of the creatures he judgeth (and so 
will he judge) the people. 

(3.) The knowledge and wisdom of the creatures, do, with 
a check, command thee to be wise, and so teach thee wisdom. 
The stork in the heaven, the swallow and the crane, by 
observing the time and season of their coming, do admonish 
thee to learn the time of grace, and of the mercy of Grod. 
The ox and the ass, by the knowledge they have of their 
master's crib, do admonish thee to know the bread and table 
of G-od ; and both do, and shall, condemn thy ignorance of 
the food of heaven. 

(4.) The labor and toil of the creatures do convict thee 
of sloth end idleness. " Go to the ant, thou sluggard; con- 
sider her ways and be wise ;" for she provideth her food in 
summer, and layeth up against the day of trial. But thou 
spendest the whole summer of thy life, in wasting both time 
and soul. " All things are full of labor/' saith Solomon ; 
only man spendeth all the day idle, and his years like a tale 
that is told. The coney is but a feeble folk, yet laboreth 



LESSONS FROM ALL CREATURES. 369 

for a house in the rock, to be safe from the rage of the 
hunter. The spider also taketh hold with her hands, and is 
in kings' palaces. It is man only that turneth himself upon 
the bed of sloth, as the door doth upon the hinges : it is man, 
I say, that will neither lay hold on the Kock Christ, as the 
coney doth teach, nor lay hold on the kingdom of heaven, 
as the spider doth bid him. 

(5.) The fear that is in all creatures, when they per- 
ceive that danger is near, teacheth men to fly from the 
wrath to come. " In vain is the snare laid in the sight of 
any bird ;" but man, man only, is the fool-hardy creature, 
that layeth wait for his own blood, and that lurketh privily 
for his own life. How, I say, will every creature fly, run, 
strive, and' struggle to escape the danger it is sensible of? 
It is man only that delighteth to dance about the mouth of 
hell, and to be knowingly smitten with Satan's snare. 

(6.) The dependence that all the creatures have upon 
God. They teach thee to depend on him that made thee; 
yea, and will in the judgment condemn thee for thy unlaw- 
ful practices, and dealings for thy preservation. " The young 
ravens seek their food from Grod," and will condemn thy 
lying, cheating, over-reaching, defrauding, and the like ; they 
provide neither storehouse nor barn ; but thou art so greedy 
of these things, that thou, for them, shuttest thyself out of 
the kingdom of heaven. 

(7.) The love and pity that are in their hearts to their 
young, and to one another, will judge and condemn the 
hard-heartedness that is in thee to thy own soul. What 
shall I say? "The heavens shall reveal thy iniquity; and 
the earth shall rise up against thee ;" that is, all the crea- 
tures of Glod, will by their fruitfulness and subjection to the 
will of their Creator, judge and condemn thee for thy dis- 
obedience, and rebellion against him. 

Now, as these creatures do every day call unto thee, and 
lay before thee these things; so he hath for thy awakening, 



370 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

in case thou be asleep and senseless, creatures of another 

nature ; as, 

(1.) Thy bed, when thou liest down in it, preacheth to 

thee thy grave; thy sleep, thy death; and thy rising in the 

morning, thy resurrection to judgment. 

(2.) The jail that thou seest with thine eyes, and the 

felons that look out at the grate, put thee in mind of the 

prison of hell, and of the dreadful state of those that are 

there. 

(3.) The fire that burns in thy chimney, holds forth the 

fire of hell unto thee. 

(4.) The stench and steam of burning brimstone, show 

thee the loathsome, odious, and dreadful torments of hell. 
(5.) The darkness of the night in solitary places, and the 

fears that do commonly haunt those that walk therein, preach 

to thee the fears and frights, the scares and amazements, 

that will for ever attend all damned souls. 

All these things, as inconsiderable and unlikely as they 
may appear to you now, yet in the judgment, will be found 
the items and warning-words of God to your souls. . And 
know, that he who could overthrow the land of Egypt with 
frogs, lice, flies, locusts, &c, will overthrow the world at the 
last day, by the book of the creatures; and that by the 
least, and most inconsiderable of them, as well as by the 
rest. This book of the creatures, is so excellent, and so full, 
so easy, and so suiting the capacity of all, that there is not 
one man in the world, but is caught, convicted, and cast by 
it. This is the book that he who knows no letters may read 
in : yea, and that he who neither saw New Testament, nor 
Old, may know both much of God, and himself by. ; Tis 
this book, out of which generally both Job and his friends 
did so profoundly discourse of the judgments of God, and 
that out of which God himself did so convincingly answer 
Job. Job was as perfect in this book, as we are many of 
us in the scriptures ; yea and could see further by it, than 



PREMONITIONS OF JUDGMENT. 371 

many now a-days do see by the New Testament and Old. 
This is the book, out of which both Christ, the prophets, 
and apostles do so frequently discourse by their similitudes, 
proverbs, and parables, as being the most easy way to con- 
vince the world ; though by reason of their ignorance, nothing 
will work with them but what is set on their heart by the 
Holy Ghost. 

One word further, and I have done with this, and that is, 
God hath sealed the judgment of the world by the book of 
the creatures, even by man's own carriage unto such of 
them as through any impediment, have disappointed his 
expectations. And thus, if thou hadst but a tree in thy 
orchard, that neither beareth fruit, nor aught else that is 
good ; why, thou art for hewing it down and for appointing 
it as fuel for the fire. Now thou little thinkest that by thy 
thus judging, thou shouldst pass sentence upon thine own 
fruitless soul; but so it is. "For now is the axe laid to the 
root of the trees ; and every tree that bringeth not forth 
good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire." For as 
truly as thou sayest of thy fruitless tree, "Cut it down; why 
doth it cumber the ground V so truly doth thy voice cause 
heaven to echo again upon thy head, " Cut him down; why 
doth he cumber the ground V 

Further, the inclination of thy heart as to fruitless and 
unprofitable creatures, doth fore-preach to thee the inclina- 
tion of the heart of God towards thee in the judgment. If 
thou hast either a cow, or any other beast, that is now un- 
profitable to thee, though thou mayst suffer them for some 
time to be with thee, as God suffereth sinners in the world; 
yet all this while thy heart is not with them. But thou wilt 
take thy time to clear thyself of them. Why, just so shall 
thy judgment be. As God saith, "Though Moses and 
Samuel stood before me" (that is, to pray me to spare this 
people), "yet my heart could not be towards them; therefore 
cast them out of my sight and let them go forth." 



372 THE RESURRECTION OE THE DEAD. 

Thus I say, God will judge the world at the last day. He 
will open before them, how they have degenerated and gone 
back from the principles of nature, in which he created 
them. Also how they have slighted all the instructions that 
he hath given them, even by the obedience, fruitfulness, 
wisdom, labor, fear, and love of the creatures. And he will 
tell them, that as to their judgment, they themselves have 
decided it, both by their cutting down that which was fruit- 
less, and by the withdrawing of their hearts from those 
things which to them were unprofitable. " As therefore the 
tares are gathered, and burned in the fire; so shall it be in 
the end of the world. " As men deal with weeds, and rot- 
ten wood, so will God deal with sinners in the day of final 
judgment : and will bring in, I say, all the counsels and 
warnings he hath given men by these things, both to clear 
up his justices, and to aggravate their judgment to them. 

II. The second book that will be opened at this day will 
be the book of God's remembrance. For as G-od hath in 
his remembrance, recorded all and every particular good 
thing that his own people have done to and for his name, 
while they were in this world ; so he hath in his remem- 
brance recorded all the evil and sin of his adversaries, even 
every thing. Now God's remembrance is so perfect every 
way, that it is impossible that any thing should be lost that 
is committed to it to be kept, and brought forth to the judg- 
ment at the time appointed. For as a thousand years are 
but as yesterday with his eternity, so the sins that have been 
committed a thousand of years sinGe, are all so firmly fixed 
in the remembrance of the eternal God, that they are 
always as fresh and clear in his sight as if they were but 
just now in committing. He calleth again the things that 
are past, and hath set our most secret things in the light of 
his countenance. As he also saith in another place ; " hell 
itself is naked before him, and destruction hath no cover- 
ing;" that is, the most secret, cunning, and hidden con- 



THE BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE. 373 

trivances of the most subtle of the infernal spirits, which yet 
are far more artful than men, to hide their wickedness ; yet 
I say, all their ways, hearts and most secret doings, are clear 
to the very bottom of them, in the eyes of the great God. 
"All things are naked and open, before the eyes of him 
with whom we have to do;" who also "will bring to light the 
hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the 
counsels of the heart." 

"Ye that say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the 
God of Jacob regard it; understand, ye brutish among 
the people ; and ye fools, when will ye be wise ? He that 
planted the ear, shall not he hear? he that formed the eye, 
shall he not see? he that chastiseth the heathen, shall not 
he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he 
know?" "Can any hide himself in secret places, that I 
should not see him?" (that is, when he is committing wick- 
edness,) "saith the Lord: do not I fill heaven and earth 
saith the Lord?" 

Now, to know and see things, is the cause among men 
of their remembrance. Wherefore God to show us that he 
will remember all our sins, if we die out of Christ, tells us, 
that he knoweth and seeth them all, and therefore must 
needs remember them ; for as are his sight and knowledge, 
so is his remembrance of all things. 

When this book of his remembrance therefore, is opened, 
as it shall be in the judgment; then shall be brought forth 
of their hidden holes, all things whatsoever hath been done 
since the world began; whether by kingdoms in general, or 
persons in particular. Now also shall be brought forth to 
open view, all the transactions of God and his Son among 
the sons of men, and every thing shall be applied to every 
particular person, in equity and justice, to whom they 
belong. The sins which thou hast committed shall be thy 
own, and thou thyself shalt bear them. "The Lord is a 
God of knowledge; and by him actions are weighed." 
32 



374 THE RESURRECTION OP THE DEAD.' 

It will be marvellous to behold how, by thousands, and 
ten thousands, God will call from their secret places those 
sins that one would have thought had been dead, and 
buried, and forgotten; yea, how he will show before the 
sun, such things, so base and so horrid, that one would 
think it was not in the hearts of any to commit; for all is 
recorded in the book of God's remembrance. While men 
are here, they have a thousand tricks to present themselves 
one to another, far more fair and honest than they are, or 
ever were. As Christ said to the Pharisees, " Ye are they 
who justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your 
hearts/' Ay, God knoweth indeed, what a nest, what a 
heap, what swarms, yea, what legions of hellish wickedness, 
are now with power lurking, like cockatrices, in those men, 
that one would swear a thousand times, are good and honest 
men. The way of men in their sins, is like that of an eagle 
in the air, a serpent upon a rock, a ship in the midst of the 
sea, and a young man with a maid, saith Solomon ; that is, 
hidden ly, closely, covertly; burying all under fair pre- 
tences; wiping their mouths in the close of their evils, and 
saying, 'I have done no wickedness/ 

But by this though it may serve for the time present, and 
no longer, God will not be deluded, nor blinded, nor mocked, 
nor put off. "They consider not," saith he, "that I remem- 
ber all their wickedness." "But I will reprove thee, and 
will set them in order before thine eyes." Here will be 
laid open the very heart of Cain the murderer, of Judas the 
traitor, of Saul the adversary of David, and of those that 
under pretences of holiness have persecuted Christ, his 
word, and people. Now shall every drunkard, whoremaster, 
thief, and other wicked person, be turned their inside out- 
ward — their hearts laid right open — and every sin, with 
every circumstances of place, time, person, with whom, with 
the causes also that drew them to the commission of every 
evil, be discovered to all. Here will be no hiding your- 



THE STRIVINGS OF GOD'S SPIRIT WITH MEN. 375 

selves behind curtains, no, nor covering yourselves with the 
black and dark night. "If I say, Surely the darkness shall 
cover me; even the night shall be light about me; yea, 
God, " darkness hideth not from thee, but the night shineth 
as the day : the darkness and light are both alike unto 
thee/' 

The piercing eye of God beholds all places, persons, and 
things; the holy hand of his justice writeth them down in 
the book of his remembrance; and by his power and wis- 
dom, will he open and read to all men exactly, distinctly, 
and convincingly, whatever hath passed from them, or been 
done by them, in their whole life; for "for all these things 
God will bring thee into judgment." 

Again, as God will bring out of the book of his remem- 
brance, whatever hath passed from thee, against him; so 
also will he then bring forth by the same book, all things 
and carriages of his towards thee. Here will he bring to 
thy mind every sermon thou hast heard, every chapter thou 
hast read, every conviction thou hast had upon thy con- 
science, and every admonition that hath been given thee in 
all thy life, when thou wast in the land of the living. 

Now will God lay open before thee, what patience he ex- 
tended to thee; how he let thee live one year, two years, 
ten, yea, twenty and thirty years, and all to try thee. Yea, 
now also will he bring to thy view, how many times he 
warned, rebuked, threatened, and chastised thee for thy 
wickedness; how many awakening providences and judg- 
ments he continually laid before thy face; yea, how many 
a time thou didst like Balaam run upon the point of the 
sword of justice, and how he gave back, as being loath to 
kill thee. 

Now also again shall be brought before thee and all men, 
how many strugglings God had with thy heart, on thy sick- 
bed, to do thee good; yea, and at such times, how many 
vows, promises, engagements, and resolutions thou madest 



376 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

before God, to turn, if he would release thee from thy afflic- 
tion, and take off his rod from thy back; and yet how thou 
didst, like the man possessed, break and snap in twain all 
these chains of iron with which thou hadst bound thy soul; 
and that for a very lust and sin. Here also will be opened 
before thee, how often thou hast sinned against thy light 
and knowledge; how often thou hast laid violent hands on 
thy own conscience; how often thou hast labored to put out 
that light that hath stood in thy way to hinder thee from 
sinning against thy soul. Ah, Lord ! what a condition will 
the Christless soul be in at this day ! How will every one 
of these things afflict the guilty soul! They will pierce 
like arrows, and bite like serpents, and sting like an adder. 
With what shame will that man stand before the judgment- 
seat of Christ, who must have all things he hath done 
against God, to provoke the eyes of his glory to jealousy, 
laid open before the whole host of the heavenly train ! It 
would make a man blush to have his pockets searched for 
things that are stolen, in the midst of a market, especially 
if he stand upon his reputation and honor. But thou must 
have thy heart searched ; the bottom of thy heart searched ; 
and that, I say, before thy neighbor, whom thou hast 
wronged, and before the devils, whom thou hast served; 
yea, before God, whom thou hast despised; and before the 
angels, those holy and delicate creatures, whose holy and 
chaste faces will scarce forbear blushing, while God is mak- 
ing thee vomit up all thou hast swallowed ; for G-od shall 
bring it out of thy soul. 

For, as for God to " forget iniquity/' is one of the chief 
heads of the covenant of grace, and is an argument of the 
highest nature, to beget and to continue consolation in the 
godly; so "the remembrance of iniquity/' by the Lord, is 
one of the heaviest loads and judgments that can befall any 
poor creature. " Lord," saith the prophet, " remember not 
against us former iniquities." And again, "If thou, Lord, 



THE BOOK OF THE LAW OPENED. 877 

shouldst mark iniquity, Lord, who shall stand V And 
the reason is, because that which the Lord forgetteth, is 
forgiven for ever; hut that which he remembereth, is 
charged for ever, and nothing can take it away: "Though 
thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet 
thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God." 

III. The third book that will at this day be opened, and 
out of which G-od will judge the world, is the book of the 
law, or the ten words given forth on Mount Sinai. But 
this book will more especially concern those that have re- 
ceived it, or that have had knowledge thereof. Every one 
shall not be judged by this book, as there delivered, though 
they shall be judged by the works of it, which are written 
in their hearts. "As many as have sinned without law, 
shall perish without law, and they that have sinned in the 
law shall be judged by the law." That is, the Heathens 
that never knew the law, as delivered on Sinai, shall be 
judged by the law, as it was written in man's heart in his 
creation, (which is comprised within the book of the Crea- 
tion); but those that have knowledge of the law as deli- 
vered on Sinai, they shall be judged by the law as there 
given. 

Now then this book, when it is opened at the day of 
judgment, will, to those to whom it especially relates, be a 
most terrible law, far surpassing the two aforementioned. 
This law, as I may so say, is the chief and most pure resem- 
blance of the justice and holiness of the heavenly Majesty, 
and doth hold forth to all men the sharpness and keenness 
of his wrath above the other two that I have before men- 
tioned. I say, above, because it hath been delivered more 
plain and open, both as to the duty enjoined, and the sin 
prohibited; and therefore must of necessity fall with the 
more violence upon the head of all that shall be found within 
the compass of it. 

, This law hath in it, to be opened at this day, these two 

32* 



378 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

general heads: 1. A discovery of the evil of sin, that is so 
against plain light and truth. And, 2. A discovery of the 
vanity of all things that will at this day be brought by 
sinners, for their help and plea at the judgment. Alas! 
who can but imagine, that the poor world, at the day of 
their arraignment, should muster up all that ever they can 
think of, as arguments to shelter them from the execution 
of that fierce wrath, that then with sinking souls they will 
see prepared for them ! 

1. As to the first of these, the apostle tells us, that ll the 
law was added, that the offence might abound," or be dis- 
covered what it is. As he saith again, " I had not known 
sin but by the law." Thus it is in this life, and thus it will 
be in the day of judgment; that is, those that see sin, and 
that in its abounding nature, and in its exceeding sinfulness, 
they must see it by the law ; for that is indeed the glass by 
which Grod discovereth sin, and the filthy spots of leprosy 
that are in the soul. Now, those that have not the happi- 
ness to see their sin by the law in this life, while there is a 
fountain of grace to wash in and be clean, must have the 
misery to see it at the judgment, when nothing is left but 
misery and pain, as the punishment for the same. At which 
day, those little tittles of this holy law, that now men so 
easily look over, and sin against with ease, will every one of 
them, appear with such dread and with such flaming justice 
against every offence committed, that if heaven and earth 
itself should step in to shelter the sinner from the justice 
and wrath due to sin, it would turn them up by the roots. 
" It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for 
one tittle of the law to fail." If there appeared such 
flames, such thunderings and tempests, as there were at the 
giving of the law ; what flames and blackness will there ap- 
pear at the execution thereof ! And if at the giving of the 
law there appeared so much holiness and justice, that it made 
all Israel fly, yea, Moses himself exceedingly fear and quake; 



THE STRICTNESS OF THE LAW. 379 

what will become of those that God shall judge by the rigor 
of this law in the day of judgment ! 

what thunderings and lightnings, what earthquakes 
and tempests, will there be in every guilty soul at the 
opening of this book ! Then, indeed, will God visit them 
with thunder, and earthquake, and great noise ; with storm 
and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire. " For, 
behold," saith the prophet, " the Lord will come with fire, 
and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger 
with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire." The Lord 
will come with fire, that is, in the flaming heat of his justice 
and holiness against sin and sinners, to execute the rigor of 
his threatenings upon their perishing souls. 

2. The second general head that is contained in this law, 
to be opened at this day, is its exactness ; the purity, and 
strictness as to all acts of good that any poor creature hath 
done in this life, whereby he in the judgment will think to 
shelter, or secure himself from the wrath of God. This is 
the rule, and line, and plummet, whereby every act of every 
man, shall be measured ; and he whose righteousness is not 
found every way answerable to this law — which all will fall 
short of, but they that have the righteousness of God by 
faith in Jesus Christ — must perish. As he saith, " Judg- 
ment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the 
plummet ; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, 
and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place." That is, 
though men may now shelter themselves under legal repent- 
ance, cold profession, good meanings, thinkings, and doings ; 
yet all these things must be measured, and weighed in the 
balance of God's most righteous law; and as I said,- what- 
ever in that day is not found " the righteousness of God," 
will be found a "refuge of lies," and will be drowned by 
the overflowing of the wrath of God, as the waters of Noah 
overflowed the world. And hence it is, that all the ungodly 
will at this day be found as stubble, and the law as fire. As 



380 THE RESURRECTION OE THE DEAD. 

it saith, " From his right hand went out a fiery law." And 
again, " His lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as 
a devouring fire." For as fire, where it seizeth, doth burn, 
destroy, devour, and consume; so will the law, all those 
that at this day, shall be found under the transgression of 
the least tittle of it. It will be with these souls at the day 
of judgment, as it is with those countries that are overrun 
with most merciless conquerors, who leave not any thing 
behind them, but swallow up all with fire and sword. " For 
by fire, and by his sword, will the Lord plead with all flesh : 
and the slain of the Lord shall be many." 

There are two things which, at the day of judgment, will 
meet and encounter each other in their height and utmost 
strength ; and they are Sin and the Law. For the judg- 
ment will not be till the iniquity of the world be fully ripe. 
Now then, when sin is come to its full, having played all 
its pranks, and done all the mischief it can against the Lord 
of glory; then God brings forth the law, his holy and 
righteous law. One of these will now reign for ever; that 
is, either the law or sin. Wherefore sin and sinners must 
tremble, with all that help and hold them up ; for God will 
magnify the law and make it honorable; that is, will give 
it the victory over the world for ever. For that is holy, just, 
and good. They are unholy, unjust, and bad. Therefore by 
this law will the Lord rain " snares, fire, and brimstone, and 
a horrible tempest : this shall be the portion of their cup." 

Let no man say, then, because God is so famous in his 
mercy and patience, in this day of grace, that, therefore, he 
will not be fierce and dreadful in his justice, in the day of 
judgment; for judgment and justice are the last things that 
God intends to bring upon the stage, which will then be to 
the full as terrible, as now his goodness, and patience, and 
long-sufferance, are admirable. " Lord, who knoweth the 
power of thine anger ? even according to thy fear, so is thy 
wrath." 



TERRORS OF THE LAW. 381 

You may see, if yon will, a few of the sparks of the jus- 
tice of God against sin and sinners, by his casting off angels 
for sin, from heaven to hell ; by his drowning the old world ; 
by his burning Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes; condemning 
them with an overthrow, " making them an example to those 
that after should live ungodly.'' 

" For what things soever the law saith, it saith to them 
that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, 
and all the world become guilty before God." Moses 
seems to wonder that the children of Israel could continue 
to live, when they did but hear the law delivered on the 
mountain. "Did ever people," saith he, "hear the Lord 
speak out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast done, and 
live ?" that ye did but know the law, and the wondrous 
things that are written therein, before the Lord cause that 
fearful voice to be heard, " Cursed is every one that con- 
tinueth not in all things that are written in the book of the 
law to do them." Which curse must fall on all that walk 
not in the commandments of God, without iniquity; which 
none do, I say, but they that walk in Christ, who hath alone 
fulfilled them all. 

The law is that which standeth at the entrance of the 
paradise of God, as a flaming sword, turning every way to 
keep out those that are not righteous with the righteousness 
of God; that have not skill to come to the throne of grace 
by that new and living way which Jesus hath consecrated for 
us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. For though 
the curse of this law, be taken away by Christ, for all that 
truly and savingly believe; yet it remains in full force and 
power, in every tittle of it, against every soul of man that 
now shall be found in his tabernacle; that is, in himself, 
and out of the Lord Jesus. It lieth, I say, like a lion ram- 
pant, at the gates of heaven, and will roar upon every un- 
converted soul, fiercely accusing every one that now would 
gladly enter in through the gates into this city. So, then, 



382 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

he only that can answer all its most perfect and legal de- 
mands, and that can live in the midst of devouring fire, and 
there enjoy G-od, and solace himself, shall dwell on high, and 
shall not be hurt by this law. "His place of defence shall 
be the munitions of rocks; bread shall be given him, his 
water shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the king in his 
beauty; they shall behold the land that is very far off." 

Blessed, then, is he whose righteousness doth answer 
every point of the law of G-od, according to 1 Cor. i. 30. He 
shall be able to " escape all those things that shall come to 
pass, and to stand before the Son of man." For in himself 
our Grod is a consuming fire; and man, out of Christ, is but 
as stubble, chaff, thorns, briers, fuel, for the wrath of this 
holy and sinner-consuming G-od to seize upon for ever. 
"Who can stand before his indignation? and who can 
abide in the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured out 
like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him." 



CHAPTER VIII. 



THE WITNESSES. 



Now, when these three books are thus opened, there will, 
without doubt, be sad throbbing and pricking in every heart 
that now stands for his life, before the judgment-seat of 
Christ, the righteous judge; and without all question, they 
will be studying a thousand ways to evade and shift the 
stroke, that by the sins that these three books do charge 
them with, will immediately fall upon them. 

But now, to cut off all these at a blow, forthwith appear 
the witnesses, who are ready to evince, and make full and 
soul-killing proof of every particular charged against them. 

1. And the first is, Cod himself. "I," saith he, "will be 
a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adul- 
terers, and against false swearers, and against those that op- 
press the hireling of his wages, the widow and the father- 
less, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and 
fear not me, saith the Lord/' 

This must needs be of great sway with every soul, that 
Cod should now come in. 'I will witness/ saith Cod, 'that 
those things of which ye are accused before the Judge are 
true. I have seen all, know all, and write down all. There 
hath not been a thought in your heart, nor a word in your 
tongue, but I have known it altogether. All things have 
always been open and naked to mine eye; yea, my eye-lids 
try the children of men. I have known your down-sitting, 
and your up-rising, and have understood your thoughts afar 
off; I have compassed your path, and am well acquainted 
with all your ways. 

'You have not continued in that state of nature in which 

(383) 



384 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

I did at first create you. You have not liked to retain that 
knowledge and understanding of God that you had, and 
might have had, by the very book of the creation. You 
gave way to the suggestions of fallen angels; and so your 
foolish hearts were darkened, and alienated, and estranged 
from God. 

'All the creatures that were in the world have even con- 
demned you: they have been fruitful, but you fruitless; 
they have been fearful of danger, but you fool-hardy; they 
have taken the fittest opportunity for their own preserva- 
tion, but thou hast both blindly and confidently gone on to 
thy punishment. 

' Touching the book of my remembrance, who can con- 
tradict it? "Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the 
Lord V Was I not in all places to behold, to see, and to 
observe thee in all thy ways? My eye saw the thief and 
the adulterer; and I heard every lie and oath of the wicked. 
I saw the hypocrisy of the dissembler. They have committed 
villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their 
neighbors' wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, 
which I have not commanded them : even I know, and am 
a witness, saith the Lord.' 

God will also come in against them for their transgressing 
his law, even the law which he delivered on Mount Sinai. 
He will, I say, open every tittle thereof in such order and 
truth, and apply the breach of each particular person with 
such convincing arguments, that they will fall down silenced 
for ever. " Every mouth shall be stopped, and all the world 
shall become guilty before God." 

2. There is yet another witness for condemning the trans- 
gressors of these laws, and that is Conscience. " Their con- 
sciences also bearing witness/' saith the apostle. Conscience 
is a thousand witnesses. Conscience will cry, Amen, to 
every word that the great God doth speak against thee. 
Conscience is a terrible accuser; it will hold pace with the 



CONSCIENCE A WITNESS. 385 

witness of Grod, as to the truth of evidence, to a hair's 
breadth. The witness of conscience, is of great authority; 
it commands guilt, and fasteneth it on every soul which it 
accuseth. And hence it is said, "If our heart, or con- 
science condemn us." Conscience will thunder and lighten 
at this day. Even the consciences of the most Pagan sinners 
in the world will have sufficient wherewith to accuse, to 
condemn, and to make paleness appear in their faces, and 
breaking in their loins, by reason of the force of its convic- 
tion. the mire and dirt that a guilty conscience, when it 
is forced to speak, will cast up and throw out before the 
judgment-seat! It must out. None can speak peace, nor 
health to that man, upon whom Grod hath let loose his own 
conscience. Cain will now cry, "My punishment is greater 
than I can bear;" Judas will hang himself; and both Bel- 
shazzar and Felix will feel the joints of their loins to be 
loosened, and their knees to smite one against another, 
when conscience stirreth. When conscience is once tho- 
roughly awakened, as it shall be before the judgment-seat, 
Grod need say no more to the sinner than Solomon said to 
filthy Shimei, "Thou knowest all the wickedness that thy 
heart is privy to." As if he should say, ' Thy conscience 
knoweth, and can well inform thee of all the evil and sin 
that thou art guilty of/ To all which it answereth even as 
face answereth to face in a glass; or as an echo answereth 
the man that speaketh. As fast, I say, as Grod chargeth, 
conscience will cry out, ' Guilty, guilty, Lord ! guilty of all, 
of every whit; I remember, clearly, all the crimes thou 
layest before me.' Thus, I say, will conscience be a wit- 
ness against the soul in the day of Grod. 

3. As Glod and conscience will at this day be most dread- 
ful witnesses against the sinful man; so also will those 
several thoughts that have passed through man's heart be a 
witness also against him. As he said before, " Their con- 
science also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean 

33 



386 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

while accusing, or else excusing one another; in the day 
when G-od shall judge tne secrets of men by Jesus Christ, 
according to the gospel." 

The Thoughts come in as a witness for God against the 
sinner, upon the account of that unsteadiness and variety 
that was in them, both touching G-od and their ownselves. 

(1.) Sometimes the man thinks there is no G-od; but that 
every thing hath its rise of itself, or by chance or fortune : 
" The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." 

Sometimes again, they think there is a God; but yet they 
think and imagine of him falsely : " Thou thoughtest that I 
was altogether such an one as thyself," saith G-od ; " but I 
will reprove thee." 

Men think, that because they can sin with delight, that 
therefore God can let them escape without punishment. 
Nay, oftentimes they think, that G-od doth either quite 
forget their wickedness, or else that he will be pleased with 
such satisfaction as they are pleased to give him ; even a few 
howling prayers, feigned and hypocritical tears and weep- 
ings, which pass from them more for fear of the punishment 
of hell-fire, than because they have offended so holy, so just, 
and so glorious a God, and so loving and so condescending a 
Jesus. 

Sometimes again they have had right thoughts of some- 
thing of God, but not of him altogether; either thinking so 
of his justice, as to drive them from him, and also cause 
them to put him out of their mind ; or else so thinking of 
his mercy, as that they quite forget his holiness and justice. 
Now both these are but base thoughts of God, and so erro- 
neous and sinful thoughts. 

Sometimes also they have pretty right thoughts of God, 
both as to justice and mercy ; but then through the wretch- 
edness of their unsatisfied nature, they, against light and 
knowledge, do, with shut eyes, and hardened hearts, rush 



THE THOUGHTS WITNESSES. 387 

fiercely, knowingly, and willingly, again into their sins and 
wickedness. 

(2.) As men have these various thoughts of God so also 
their thoughts are not steady about themselves. 

Sometimes they think they are sinners, and therefore they 
have need of mercy. 

Sometimes again they think they are righteous, and so 
have not so much need; and yet, mark, both alike rotten 
and base ; because as the last is altogether senseless, so the 
first is not at all savingly sensible. 

Sometimes again they think they are gods that shall 
never die ; or, that if they do die, yet they shall never rise 
again; or, if they do rise again, yet they shall be saved, 
though they had lived vilely, and in their sins, all the days 
of their life. Now, I say, every one of these thoughts, with 
ten thousand more of the like nature, will God bring in 
against the rebels in the judgment-day. Which thoughts 
shall every one of them be brought forth in their distinct 
order. (i He showeth to man what is his thought." And 
again, " I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no 
thought can be withholden from thee." We read, that when 
the strangers at Jerusalem did but hear the apostles speak to 
every one of them in their own language, how it amazed and 
confounded them. But I say, how will they look and be 
amazed, when God shall evidently, clearly, and fully, speak 
out all their hearts, and every thought they have had before 
them? 

Now, the reason and strength of this witness will lie here, 
that God will, by the variety and crossness that their 
thoughts had one to another, and by the contradiction that 
was in them, prove them sinners and ungodly. Because, I 
say, sometimes they thought there was a God; sometimes 
again they thought there was none. Sometimes they thought 
that he was such a God; and sometimes again they thought 
of him quite contrary : sometimes they thought he was 



388 THE RESURRECTION OP THE DEAD. 

worth regarding; and sometimes they thought he was not; 
as also, sometimes they thought he would he faithful, both 
to mercy, and justice, and sinners; and sometimes again 
they thought he would not. 

"What greater argument now can there be, to prove men 
vanity, froth, a lie, sinners, deluded by the devil, and such 
as had false apprehensions of G-od, his ways, his word, his 
justice, his holiness, of themselves, their sins, and every 
action ? 

Xow they will, indeed, appear a very lump of confusion, 
a mass of sin, a bundle of ignorance, of atheism, of unbelief, 
and of all things that should lay them obnoxious to the judg- 
ments of G-od. Thus will God, I say, by mustering up the 
thoughts of man, and by showing them, that every imagina- 
tion and thought of their heart was only evil, and that con- 
tinually (by showing them what staggering, drunken, wild, 
and uncomely thoughts they have had, both of him and of 
themselves) convince them, cast them, and condemn them 
for sinners and transgressors against the book of creation, 
the book of his remembrance, and the book of the law. By 
the variety of their thoughts, they shall be proved unstable, 
ignorant, wandering stars, clouds carried with a tempest, 
without order or guidance, and taken captive by the devil at 
his will. 



CHAPTER IX. 

APPEAL TO THE BOOK OP LIFE. 

Now, while the wicked are thus standing upon their trial 
and lives before the judgment-seat, and that in the view of 
heaven and hell; they, I say, hearing and seeing such dread- 
ful things, both written and witnessed against every one of 
them ; and that by such books and such witnesses as do not 
only talk, but testify, and that with the whole strength of 
truth against them ; they will then begin, though poorly, 
and without any advantage, to plead for themselves — which 
plea will be to this effect : 

' Lord, we did find in the scriptures, that thou didst send 
a Saviour into the world, to deliver us from these sins and 
miseries. We heard this Saviour also published, and openly 
proffered to such poor sinners as we are. Lord, Lord, we 
also made profession of this Saviour, and were many of us 
frequenters of his holy ordinances : we have eat and drunk 
in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. Lord, 
we have also, some of us, been preachers ourselves; we have 
prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out 
devils, and done many wondrous works. Nay, Lord, we did 
herd among thy people ; we forsook the profane and wicked 
world, and carried our shining lamps before us in the face 
of all men. Lord, Lord, open to us !' 

All the while they are thus pleading and speaking for 
themselves, behold how earnestly they groan, how ghastly 
they look, and how now the brinish tears flow down like 
rivers from their eyes ; ever redoubling their petition, Lord ! 
Lord ! Lord ! Lord ! first thinking of this thing, and then 
of that; ever contending, seeking, and striving "to enter in. 

33* (389) 



390 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

at the strait gate." As Christ saith, "When once the mas- 
ter of the house is risen up;" that is, when Christ hath laid 
aside his mediation for sinners, and hath taken upon him 
only to judge and condemn; then will the wicked begin to 
stand without, and to knock, and contend for a portion among 
them that are the blessed. Ah ! how will their hearts twitter, 
while they look upon the kingdom of glory! And how 
will they ache and throb at every view of hell, their proper 
place ! Still crying, ' that we might inherit life !' and, 
s that we might escape eternal death l* 

But now, to take away all cavils and objections of this 
nature that will arise in the hearts of these men; forthwith 
the Book of Life is brought out as a conclusion and a final 
end of eternal judgment. As John saith, " The books were 
opened; and another book was opened, which is the book 
of life : and the dead were judged out of those things that 
were written in the books, according to their works." 

But this book of life is not at this time opened because 
there are now any godly to be tried; for (as I have showed 
before) their judgment is past and over, before the wicked 
rise. The book of life, then, is now opened for further 
conviction of guilty reprobates, that their mouths may. be 
stopped for ever, as touching all their cavils, contendings, 
and arguments against Grod's proceeding in judgment with 
them. For, believe it, while God is judging them, they 
will fall to judging him again; but he will be justified in 
his sayings, and will overcome when he is judged at this 
day. Yet not by a hasty and angry casting them away, 
but by a legal and convincing proceeding against them, and 
overthrowing all their cavils by his manifest and invincible 
truth. Wherefore, to cut off all that they can say, he will 
now open the book of life before them, and will show them 
what is written therein, both as to election, conversion, and 
a truly gospel conversation; and will convince them, that 
they neither are of the number of his elect, neither were 



THE BOOK OP LIFE OPENED. 391 

they ever regenerate, neither had ever a truly gospel con- 
versation in the world. 

By these three things, then, out of this hook, thou, who 
art not saved, must at last be judged, and overcome : 

1. Here will be tried, whether thou art within that part 
of this book wherein all the elect are recorded. For all the 
elect are written here. As Christ saith, " Rejoice that your 
names are written in heaven." And again, "In thy book," 
saith he to his Father, "are all my members written." 

Now, then, if thy name be not found either among the 
prophets, apostles, or the rest of the saints, thou must be 
put by, as one that is cast away, as one polluted, and as an 
abominable branch. Thy name is wanting in the genealo- 
gies and rolls of heaven; thou art not pricked for everlast- 
ing life; therefore thou must not be delivered from that 
soul-amazing misery. For there are no souls that can, 
though they would give a thousand worlds, be delivered at 
the day of God, but such as are found written in this book. 
Every one of those that are written, though never a one of 
those that are not written, shall in that day be delivered 
from the wrath to come. 

But, oh! methinks, with what careful hearts will the 
damned now begin to look for their names in this book. 
Those that, when once the long-suffering of God waited on 
them, made light of all admonition, and slighted the coun- 
sel of making their calling and election sure, would now 
give thousands of treasures, that they could but spy their 
names, though last and least among the sons of God. But, 
I say, how will they fail; how will they faint; how will 
they die and languish in their souls, when they shall, still 
as they look, see their names wanting ! What a pinch will 
it be to Cain, to see his brother there recorded, and he him- 
self left out ! Absalom will now swoon, and be as one that 
giveth up the ghost, when he shall see David his father, 
and Solomon his brother, written here, while he withal is 



392 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

written in the earth, among the damned. Thus, I say, will 
sadness he added to sadness, in the soul of the perishing 
world, when they fail of finding their names in this part of 
the book of life of the Lamb slain, from the foundation of 
the world. 

2. The second part of this book, is that in which is re- 
corded the nature of conversion; of faith, love, &c. And 
those that have not had the effectual work of Grod upon 
them, and the true and saving operation of grace in their 
hearts (which is, indeed, the true life which is begun in 
every Christian), will be found still not written in this 
book; for the living, the holy living souls, are they only 
that are written therein. As the prophet saith, "And he 
that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even 
every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem." 
Eternal life is already in this life begun in every soul that 
shall be saved. As Christ saith, "He that believeth in me 
hath everlasting life." And again, ""Whoso eateth my 
flesh, and clrinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will 
raise him up at the last day." And hence they are called, 
"the living/ that are written in this book. Here, then, 
the Lord will open before thee what conversion is, in the 
true and simple nature of it; which, when thou beholdest, 
thou wilt then be convinced, that this thou hast missed of. 
For it must needs be, that when thou beholdest, by the re- 
cords of heaven, what a change,. what a turn, what an altera- 
tion the work of regeneration maketh on every soul, and in 
every heart, where the effectual call, or the call according 
to his purpose, is, that thou who hast lived a stranger to this 
or that, hast contented thyself with the notion only, or a 
formal and feigned profession thereof; I say, it cannot be, 
but that thou must forthwith fall down, and with grief con- 
clude, that thou hast no share in this part of the book of 
life neither. The living only are written herein. There is 
aot one dead, carnal, wicked man, recorded here. 



DELUSIONS DISPELLED TOO LATE. 293 

No ; but when the Lord shall at this day make mention 
of Rahab, of Babylon, of Philistia, and Ethiopia; that is, 
of all the cursed rabble and crew of the damned, then he 
will say, that this man was born there, that is, amongst 
them; so that he hath his name where they have theirs, 
namely, under the black rod, in the king's black book, 
where he hath recorded all his enemies and traitors. It 
shall be said of this man, of this ungodly man, that he was 
born there; that he lived and died in the state of nature, 
and so is under the curse of God, even as others. For as 
he said of wicked Coniah, "Write this man childless;" so he 
saith of every ungodly man, that so departed out of this 
world, Write this man graceless. Wherefore, I say, among 
the Babylonians and Philistines among the unbelieving 
Moors, and Pagans, his name will be found in the day when 
it will be inquired where every man was born; for Grod at 
this day will divide the whole world into these two ranks, 
the children of the world, and the children of Zion. 

Wherefore, here is the honor, the privilege, and advantage, 
that the godly above the wicked will have at the day of their 
counting. When the Lord maketh mention of Zion, it shall 
be then acknowledged, that this and that good man was 
born in her : " The Lord shall count," saith the prophet, 
" when he writeth up the people, that this man was born 
there." 'This man had the work of conversion, of faith, 
and grace in his soul. This, man is a child of Zion, of the 
heavenly Jerusalem, which is also written in heaven/ 
Blessed are the people that are in such a case ! 

But, poor soul, counters will not go for gold now. For 
though so long as thou didst judge thyself by the crooked 
rule of thy own reason, and fancy, and affection, thou wast 
pure in thine own eyes ; yet now thou must be judged alone 
by the words and rule of the Lord Jesus. Which words 
shall not now, as in times past, be wrested and wrung, both 
this way and that, to smooth thee up in the hypocrite's hope, 



394 THE RESURRECTION OE THE DEAD. 

and carnal confidence ; but be thou king, or Kaiser, be thou 
who thou wilt, the word of Christ, and that with his inter- 
pretation only, shall judge thee in the last day. 

Now will sinners begin to cry with loud and bitter cries, 
1 Oh ! ten thousand worlds for a saving work of grace ! 
Crowns and kingdoms for th.Q least measure of saving faith, 
and for the love that Christ will say is the love of his own 
Spirit I' 

Now they will begin also to see the worth of a broken and 
a contrite spirit, and of walking with G-od, as living ones in 
this world. But, alas ! these things appear in their hearts, 
to the damned too late ; as also do all things else. This will 
be but like the repentance of the thief, about whose neck is 
the halter, and he turning off the ladder; for the unfortunate 
hap of the damned will be, that the glory of heavenly things 
will not appear to them, till out of season. Christ must 
now indeed be showed to them, as also the true nature of 
faith, and all grace ; but it will be when the door is shut, 
and mercy gone : they will pray, and repent most earnestly ; 
but it will be in the time of great waters, of the floods of 
eternal wrath, when they cannot come nigh him. 

Well, then, tell me, sinner, if Christ should now come to 
judge the world, canst thou abide the trial of the book of 
life ? Art thou confident that thy profession, that thy con- 
version, thy faith, and all other graces thou thinkest thou 
hast, will prove gold, silver, and precious stones in this day ? 
Behold, he comes as a refiner's fire, and as a fuller's soap. 
Shalt thou indeed abide the melting and washing of this 
day? Examine, I say, beforehand, and try thyself un- 
feignedly; for "every. one that doeth truth, cometh to the 
light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are 
wrought in God." 

Thou sayest thou art a Christian; that also thou hast re- 
pented, dost believe, and love the Lord Jesus; but the ques- 
tion is, whether these things will be found of equal length, 



THE NOBLE DEEDS OF THE JUST. 395 

height, and breadth, with the hook of life ? or whether, when 
thou art weighed in the balance, thou wilt yet be found 
wanting ? How if, when thou comest to speak for thyself 
before God, thou shouldst say Sibboleth, instead of Shib- 
boleth ? that is, though almost, yet not rightly and naturally, 
the language of the Christians. If thou miss but one letter 
in thy evidence, thou art gone. For though thou mayst 
deceive thy own heart with brass instead of gold, and with 
tin instead of silver ; yet Grod will not be so put off. You 
know how confident the foolish virgins were, and yet how 
they were deceived. They herded with the saints, they 
went forth from the gross pollutions of the world ; they every 
one had shining lamps, and all went forth to- meet the bride- 
groom ; and yet they missed the kingdom. They were not 
written among the living in Jerusalem ; they had not the 
true, powerful, saving work of conversion, of faith, and grace 
in their souls. They that are foolish, take their lamps, but 
take no oil, no saving grace, with them. Thus you see how 
sinners will be put to it before the judgment-seat from these 
two parts of this book of life. But, 

3. There is yet another part of this book to be opened, 
and that is, the part in which are recorded those noble and 
Christian acts that they have done, since the time of 
their conversion and turning to Christ. Here I say, are re- 
corded the testimony of the saints against sin and Anti- 
christ ; their suffering for the sake of G-od ; their love to the 
members of Christ; their patience under the cross; their 
faithful frequenting the assemblies of the saints ; and their 
encouraging one another to bear up in his ways in the worst 
of times — even when the proud were called happy, and when 
they that wrought wickedness, were even set up. As he 
there saith, " Then they that feared the Lord spake often 
one to another : and the Lord hearkened and heard it ; and 
a book of remembrance was written before him for them 
that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name." 



896 THE RESURRECTION OE THE DEAD. 

For indeed, as truly as any person hath his name found 
in the first part of this hook of life, and his conversion in 
the second; so there is a third part, in which his noble, 
spiritual, and holy actions are recorded, and set down. 
As it is said by the Spirit, to John, concerning those that 
suffered martyrdom for the truth of Jesus, " Write, Blessed 
are the dead which die in the Lord; yea, saith the Spirit, 
that they may rest from their labors ; and their works do 
follow them." 

And hence it is, that the labors of the saints, and the 
book of life, are mentioned together; signifying that the 
travels and labors, and acts of the godly, are recorded 
therein. 

And hence it is again, that the Lord doth tell Sardis, that 
those among them that stood it out to the last gasp, in the 
faith and love of the gospel, should not be blotted out of the 
book of life ; but they, with the work of Grod on their soul, 
and their labor for Grod in this world, should be confessed 
before his Father, and before his angels. 

This part of this book, is in another place called, " The 
book of the word of the Lord;" because in it, I say, are re- 
corded these famous acts of the saints, against the world, 
the flesh, and the devil. 

You find also, how exact the Holy Grhost is, in recording 
the travels, pains, labor, and goodness of any of the children 
of Israel, in their journey from Egypt to Canaan ; which 
was a representation of the travels of the saints, from nature 
to grace, and from grace to glory. King Ahasuerus kept in 
his library, a book of records, wherein was written the good 
service that his subjects did for him at any time; which was 
a type also of the manner and order of heaven. And as 
sure as ever Mordecai, when search was made in the rolls, 
was found there to have done such and such service for the 
king and his kingdom ; so surely will it be found what every 
saint hath done for Grod at the day of inquiry. You find in 



GRAPES ARE NOT GATHERED FROM THORNS. 397 

the Old Testament also, still as any of the kings of Judah 
died, there was surely a record in the book of Chronicles, 
of their memorable acts and doings for their God, the church, 
and the commonwealth of Israel ; which still doth further 
hold forth unto the children of men, this very thing, that, 
all the kings of the New Testament, which are the saints of 
God, have all their acts, and what they have done for their 
G-od, &c, recorded in the book of Chronicles, in the heavenly 
Jerusalem. 

Now I say, when this part of the book of life shall be 
opened, what can be found in it, of the good deeds, and 
heaven-born actions of wicked men ? Just nothing. For as 
it is not to be expected that thorns should bring forth 
grapes, or that thistles should bear figs; so it cannot be 
imagined, that ungodly men should have any thing to their 
commendation recorded in this part of the book of life. 
What hast thou done, man, for God in this world? 
Art thou one of them that hast set thyself, like Job and 
Paul, against those strong stragglings of pride, lust, covet- 
ousness, and secret wickedness, that remain in thy heart? 

And do these stragglings against these things, arise from 
pure love to the Lord Jesus ? or from some leg;al terrors and 
conviction for sin? 

Dost thou, I say, struggle against thy lusts, because thou 
dost in truth love the sweet, holy, and blessed leadings of 
the Spirit of the Lord Jesus; its leadings of thee, I say, 
into his blood and death, for thy justification, and deliver- 
ance from wrath to come ? 

"What acts of self-denial hast thou done for the name of 
the Lord Jesus, among the sons of men ? I say, what house, 
what friend, what wife, what children, and the like, hast 
thou lost, or left, for the word of God, and the testimony of 
his truth in the world ? 

Wast thou one of them that did sigh and afflict thyself 
34 



398 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

for the abomination of the times, and that Christ hath 
marked and recorded for such a one ? 

In a word, Art thon one of them that would not he 
won, neither by fear, frowns, nor flatteries, to forsake the 
ways of God, or wrong their conscience ? Or art thou one of 
them that slighted those opportunities, that Satan and this 
world did often give them to return to sin in secret? These 
he the men whose praise is in the gospel, and whose com- 
mendable and worthy acts are recorded before the Judge of 
all the world. Alas, alas ! these things are strange things 
to a carnal and wicked man. Nothing of this hath been 
done by him in this life; and therefore how can any such 
be recorded for him in the book of life. Wherefore he must 
needs be shut out of this part also; as David saith, "Let 
them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be 
written with the righteous/ 7 

Thus, therefore, when Christ hath opened before them this 
book of life, and convinced the ungodly at this day out of 
it, he will then shut it up again, saying, 'I find nothing 
herein that will do you good; you are none of my elect; 
you are the sons of perdition/ 



CHAPTER X. 



MORE WITNESSES FOR CONVICTION. 

Thus, as I have said, the wicked will find nothing for 
their comfort, in the first part of the Book of Life, where all 
the names of the elect are; neither will they find any thing 
in the second part thereof, where are recorded the true na- 
ture and operation of effectual conversion, of faith, of love, 
or the like; and, I say, neither can any thing he found in 
the third part, wherein are recorded the worthy acts and 
memorable deeds of the saints of the Lord Jesus. For as 
these will be found clear and full in the book of life, so 
they will be found effectually wrought in the hearts of the 
elect; all whose conversion and perseverance shall now be 
opened before thine eyes, as a witness, I say, of the truth of 
what thou here seest opened before thee, and also of thy un- 
regenerate state. 

Now, in the first place, thou wilt see what a turn, what a 
change, and what a clinging to Grod, to Christ, and his word 
and ways, there was found in the souls of the saved ones. 
Here shall be seen also how resolvedly, unfeignedly, and 
heartily, the true child of Grod did oppose, resist, and war 
against his most dear and darling lusts and corruptions. 
Now, the saints are hidden ones; but then they shall be 
manifest. This is the manner in which the Lord will show 
who are his, and who they are that fear the Lord, and who 
that fear him not. Now you shall see how Abraham left 
his country ; how close, good Lot did stick to Grod in pro- 
fane and wicked Sodom; how the apostles left all to follow 
Jesus Christ, and how patiently they took all crosses, afflic- 
tions, persecutions; and necessities, for the kingdom of hea- 

(399) 



400 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

ven's sake; how they endured burning, starving, stoning, 
hanging, and a thousand calamities; how they manifested 
their love to their Lord, his cause, and people in the worst 
of times, and in the days when they were most rejected, 
slighted, abused, and abased. a Then shall the King say to 
them on his right hand," (and that when all the devils and 
damned sinners stand by,) " Come ye, blessed of my Fa- 
ther, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the founda- 
tion of the world. You are indeed the truly converted 
souls, as appears by the grace that was in your hearts ; 
for I was an hungered, and you gave me meat: I was 
thirsty, and you gave me drink : I was a stranger, and ye 
took me in : naked, and ye clothed me : I was sick, and ye 
visited me : I was in prison, and ye came unto me." i You 
owned me, stood by me, and denied yourselves, to nourish 
me and my poor members, in our low, and weak, and most 
despised condition/ This, I say, the world shall see, hear, 
and be witnesses of, against themselves and their souls for 
ever. For how can it be but these poor damned sinners 
should be forced to confess, that they were both Christless 
and graceless, when they shall find, both in the book of life, 
and in the hearts of the holy and beloved souls, that to 
which themselves are the greatest strangers. 

Saints, by the fruits of regeneration, even in this world, 
do testify to the world, not only the truth of conversion in 
themselves, but also that they that are not converted, are 
yet Christless, and so heavenless and salvationless. But, 
alas! while we are here, they will evade this testimony, 
both of our happiness, and of their misery, by calling our 
faith fancy, our communion with God delusion, and the sin- 
cere profession of his word before the world, hypocrisy, pride, 
and arrogancy. Yet, when they see us on the right hand of 
Christ, commingled among the angels of light, and them- 
selves on his left hand, and commingled with the angels of 
darkness; and, when they shall see our hearts and ways opened 



HOW GIFTS AND GRACE DIFFER. 401 

before their eyes, and owned by the Judge for honest hearts 
and good ways, and yet the same ways that they hated, 
slighted, disowned, and contemned; what will they, or what 
can they say, but this, We fools, counted their lives mad- 
ness, and their end to be without honor; but how are they 
numbered with the saints, and owned by Grod and Christ ! 

And truly, was it not that the world might, by seeing the 
turn that is wrought on the godly, at their conversion, be 
convinced of the evil of their ways, or be left without ex- 
cuse the more in the day of Grod (with some other reasons), 
they should not, I am persuaded, stay so long from heaven 
as they do, nor undergo so much abuse and hardship as 
frequently befalls them. God by the lengthening out of 
the life of his people that are scattered here and there 
among men in this world, is making work for the day of 
judgment, and the overthrow of the implacable, for ever 
and ever; and, as I have said, will by the conversion, life, 
patience, self-denial, and heavenly-mindedness of his dear 
children, give them a heavy and most dreadful blow. For, 
when G-od hath thus laid open the work of grace, both by 
the book of life, and the Christian's heart; then, of itself, 
will fall to the ground their pleading what gifts and abilities 
they had in this world. They will now see that gifts and 
grace are two things; and also, that whosoever are grace- 
less let their gifts be ever so excellent, must perish and be 
lost for ever. Wherefore, for all their gifts, they shall be 
found the workers of iniquity, and shall be so judged and 
condemned. This is a notable place in the prophecy of 
Ezekiel, "Thus saith the Lord, If the prince (the Prince 
of life) give a gift to any of his sons," that is, to any that 
are truly gracious, " the inheritance" (or the profit that he 
gets thereby) " shall be his son's;" that is, for the exer- 
cise of his gift, he shall receive a reward; "but if he give 
a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants" (that is not 
a son), "then it shall be his (but) to the year of liberty; 
34* 



402 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

after which it shall return to the prince," &c. This day of 
liberty, is now, when the Judge is set upon the throne to 
judgment, even "the glorious liberty of the children of 
G-od." Wherefore then will Christ say to them that stand 
by, " Take from him the pound, and give to him that hath 
ten pounds." This servant must not abide in the house for 
ever, though with the son it shall be so/ A man may be 
used as a servant in the Church of Grod, and may receive 
many gifts, and much knowledge of the things of heaven, 
and yet at last himself be no more than a very bubble and 
nothing. But now, I say, at this day they shall clearly see 
the difference between gifts and grace, even as clearly as now 
they that have eyes can see the difference between gifts, and 
ignorance and very foolishness. This our day doth, indeed, 
abound with gifts; many sparkling wits are seen in every 
corner; men have the word and truth of Christ at their 
finger ends; but, alas! with many, yea, a great many, there 
is nought but wits and gifts. They are but words; all 
their religion lieth in their tongues and heads; the power 
of what they see and know is seen in others, not in them- 
selves. These are like the lord on whom the king of Israel 
leaned : they shall see the plenty, the blessed plenty, that 
G-od doth provide, and will bestow upon his church, but they 
shall not taste thereof. 

Before I conclude this matter, observe, that among all the 
objections and cavils that are made, and will be made, by 
the ungodly, in the day of the Lord Jesus, they have not 
one word about election and reprobation. They murmur 
not at all that they were not predestinated to eternal life : 
and the reason is, because then they shall see, though now 
they are blind, that Grod could in his prerogative-royal, 
without prejudice to them that are damned, choose and 
refuse at pleasure. And besides, they at that day shall be 
convinced, that there was so much reality, and downright 
willingness in Grod, in every tender of grace and mercy to 



SINNERS ARE SELF-DESTROYERS. 403 

the worst of men; and also so much goodness ; justness, and 
reasonableness, in every command of the gospel of Christ, 
which they were so often entreated and beseeched to em- 
brace, that they will be drowned in the conviction of this, 
that they did refuse love, grace, and reason, — refuse love, I 
say, for hatred ; grace, for sin ; and things reasonable, for things 
unreasonable and vain. Now they shall see that they left glory 
for shame; God, for the devil; heaven, for hell; light, for 
darkness. Now they shall see, that though they made 
themselves beasts, yet God made them reasonable creatures; 
and that he did with reason expect that they should have 
adhered to, and have delighted in, things that are good and 
according to God. Yea, now they shall see, that though 
God did not determine to bring them to heaven against 
their hearts and wills, and the love that they had to their 
sins, yet that God was far from infusing any thing into 
their souls, that should in the least hinder, weaken, or ob- 
struct them, in seeking the welfare of their souls. Now 
men will tattle and prattle at a mad rate, about election and 
reprobation, and conclude, that because all are not elected, 
therefore God is to blame that any are damned. But then 
they will see, that they are not damned because they were 
not elected, but because they sinned; and also that they 
sinned, not because God put any weakness into their souls, 
but because they gave way, and that wilfully, knowingly, 
and desperately, to Satan and his suggestions, and so turned 
away from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 
Yea, then you will see, that though God at sometimes did 
fasten his cords about your heads, and heels, and hands, 
both by godly education, and smarting convictions; yet you 
rushed away with violence from all, saying, " Let us break 
these bands asunder, and cast these cords from us." God 
will be justified in his sayings, and be clear when he judgeth, 
though now thy proud ignorance thinks to have, and to mul- 
tiply, cavils against him. 



404 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

But, secondly, as the whole body of the elect, by the na- 
ture of conversion in their hearts, shall witness a non-con- 
version in the hearts of the wicked; and as the ungodly 
shall fall under the conviction of this cloud of witnesses ; so 
to increase their conviction, there will also be opened before 
them all the labors of the godly, both ministers and others, 
and the pains that they have taken, to save, if it had 
been possible, these very wretches. And now will it come 
burning hot upon their souls, how often they were fore- 
warned of this day. Now they shall see, that there was 
never any quarter-sessions, nor general jail-delivery, more 
publicly foretold than this day. You know that the judges, 
before they begin their assizes, do give to the country in 
charge, that they take heed to the laws and statutes of the 
king. Why, rebel, thou shalt be at this day convicted, that 
every sermon thou hast heard, and that every serious debate 
thou hast been at about the laws of Grod, and things of eter- 
nity, they were to thee as the judge's charge before the 
assizes and judgment began. Every exhortation of every 
minister of Grod, is as that which Paul gave to Timothy, 
and commanded him to give in charge to others. "I charge 
thee before Grod, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect 
angels," saith he, "that thou observe these things." And 
again, " I give thee charge in the sight of Grod, who quick- 
eneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pon- 
tius Pilate witnessed a good confession, that thou keep this 
commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appear- 
ing of Jesus Christ." " These things give in charge," 
saith he, " that they may be blameless." This, I say, hast 
thou heard and seen; and yet thou hast not held fast, but 
hast cast away the things that thou hast heard, and hast 
been warned of. Alas! Grod will multiply his witnesses 
against thee. 

For, thirdly, The words of thine own mouth shall be in 
testimony. 



THE UNJUST ARE SELF-CONDEMNED. 405 

1. Thine own vows and promises shall witness against 
thee, that thou hast, contrary to thy light and knowledge, 
destroyed thy soul. As Joshua said to the children of Is- 
rael, when they said, the Lord should he their God : "Well," 
saith he, " Ye are witnesses against yourselves, that ye have 
chosen you the Lord to serve him :" that is, if now you turn 
back again, even this covenant and resolution of yours will 
in the great day be a witness against you: "And they said, 
We are witnesses." 

2. Every time you have with your mouth said well of 
godliness, and yet gone on in wickedness; or every time 
you have condemned sin in others, and yet have not re- 
frained it yourselves ; I say, every such word and conclusion 
that hath passed out of thy mouth, sinner, shall be as a 
witness against thee in the day of God, and the Lord Jesus 
Christ. As Christ saith, "By thy words thou shalt be justi- 
fied, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." 

I observe, that talk with whom you will, they will with 
their mouth, say, Serving Grod, and loving Christ, and walk- 
ing in ways of holiness, are best; and best will come of them. 
I observe again, that men who are grossly wicked themselves, 
will yet, with heavy censures and judgments, condemn 
drunkenness, lying, covetousness, pride, and whoring, with 
all manner of abominations, in others; and yet, in the mean 
time, continue to be neglecters of G-od., and embracers of 
sin and the allurements of the flesh themselves. Why, such 
souls, every time they speak well of godliness, and continue 
in their sins, do then pass judgment upon themselves, and 
provide a witness, even their own mouth, against their own 
soul, at the judgment-seat. " Out of thy own mouth," saith 
Christ, "will I judge thee, thou wicked servant:" thou 
knewest what I was, and that I loved to see all my servants 
zealous and active for me, that at my coming I might have 
received again what I gave thee, with increase. Thou 
oughtest, therefore, to have been busying thyself in my 



406 THE RESURRECTION OE THE DEAD. 

work, for my glor y, and thine own good ; but seeing thou 
hast, against thine own light and mouth, gone contrary — 
Angels, take the unprofitable servant, and east ye him into 
utter darkness : there shall be weeping and gnashing of 
teeth. He sinned against light; he shall go to hell against 
his will/ 

The very same, I say, will befall all those that have used 
their mouth to condemn the sins of others, while they them- 
selves live in their sins. Saith Grod, i thou wicked wretch, 
thou didst know that sin was bad, thou didst condemn it in 
others, thou didst also condemn and pass judgment upon 
them for their sin j thou art therefore, inexcusable, man, 
whosoever thou art, that hast thus judged; for thou that 
judgest doest the same thing : wherefore, wherein thou hast 
judged another, thou hast condemned thyself. I must, 
therefore, saith Christ, look upon thee to be no other but a 
sinner against thine own mouth, and cannot but judge thee as 
a despiser of my goodness, and the riches of my forbearance ; 
by which means thou hast treasured up wrath against this 
day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of 
Grod. " He that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to 
him it is sin." Thus will God, I say, judge and condemn 
poor sinners, even from and by themselves, to the fire — that 
lake of brimstone and fire. 

Lastly, Grod hath said in his word, that, rather than there 
shall want witness at the day of judgment against the 
workers of iniquity, the very dust of their city, that shall 
cleave to his messengers that publish the gospel, shall itself 
be a witness against them. And so Christ bid his servants 
say : " Into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you 
not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, 
Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth to us, we 
do wipe off against you," &c. " But I say unto you," saith 
he to his ministers, " It shall be more tolerable for Sodom 
at the judgment, than for that city." 



THE DUST A WITNESS. 407 

It may be, that when thou hearest that the dust of the 
street (that cleaveth to a minister of the gospel, while thou 
rejectest his word of salvation) shall be a witness against 
thee at the day of judgment, thou wilt be apt to laugh and 
say, ' The dust a witness ! witnesses will be scarce, where 
dust is forced to come in to plead against a man/ Well, 
sinner, mock not. G-od doth use to confound the great and 
mighty, by things that are not, and that are despised. And 
how sayest thou? If God had said, by a prophet, to 
Pharaoh, but two years before the plagues, that he would 
shortly come against him with one army of flies, a second 
army of frogs, and with a third army of locusts, &c, and 
would destroy his land, dost thou think it had been wisdom 
in Pharaoh now to have laughed such tidings to scorn ? " Is 
any thing too hard for the Lord ?" u Hath he said it, and 
shall he not bring it to pass?" You shall see, in the day 
of judgment, of what force all these things will be as wit- 
nesses against the ungodly. 

Many more witnesses might I here reckon up; but these 
at this time shall suffice to be nominated. " For out of the 
mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be estab- 
lished;" and "at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall 
he that is worthy of death be put to death." 



CHAPTEK XI. 

THE FINAL SENTENCE OF THE JUDGE. 

Thus, then, the books being opened, the laws read, the 
witnesses heard, and the ungodly convicted, forthwith the 
Lord and Judge proceeds to execution; and to that end doth 
pass the sentence of eternal death upon them, saying, " De- 
part from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for 
the devil and his angels." You are now, by the book of 
the creation, by the book of Glod's remembrance, by the 
book of the law, and by the book of life, adjudged guilty of 
high treason against Grod, and me, and murderers of your 
own souls ; as these faithful and true witnesses here have 
testified, every one of them appearing in their most upright 
testimony against you. Also you never had a saving work 
of conversion and faith passed upon you ; you died in your 
sins. Neither can I find any thing in the last part of this 
book that will serve your turn ; no worthy act is here re- 
corded of you: "When I was an hungered, you gave me no 
meat; when I was athirsty, you gave me no drink; when I 
was a stranger, you took me not in; I was naked, but ye 
clothed me not : I was sick, and in prison, but ye visited me 
not." I have made a thorough search among the records 
of the living, and find nothing of you, or of your deeds 
therein. " Depart from me, ye cursed." 

Thus will these poor ungodly creatures be stripped of all 
hope and comfort, and, therefore, must needs fall into great 
sadness and wailing before the judge; yea, crying out, as 
being loath to let go all for lost. And even as the man that 
is fallen into the river will catch hold of any thing, when he 
is struggling for life ; though it tend to hold him faster under 
(408) 



THE FINAL SENTENCE ON THE UNJUST. 409 

the water, to drown hhn ; so, I say, with these poor crea- 
tures, as they lie struggling and twining under the ireful 
countenance of the Judge, they will bring out yet one more 
faint and weak groan, and there goes life and all. Their 
last sigh is this, " Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, 
and gave thee no meat ? or when saw we thee thirsty, and 
gave thee no drink ? when saw we thee a stranger, and took 
thee not in ? or naked and clothed thee not ? or when wast 
thou sick, or in prison, and we did not minister unto 
thee ?" 

Thus you see how loath the sinner is now to take a nay 
of life everlasting. He that once would not be persuaded 
to close with the Lord Jesus, though one should have per- 
suaded him with tears of blood, behold how fast he now 
hangs about the Lord ! What arguments he frames, with 
mournful groans ! How, with shifts and words, he seeks to 
gain the time, and to defer the execution : " Lord, open 
unto us ! Lord, Lord, open unto us ! Lord, thou hast 
taught in our streets, and we have both taught in thy name, 
and in thy name have we cast out devils. We have eat and 
drunk in thy presence. And when did we see thee an 
hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in 
prison, and did not minister to thee ?" poor hearts ! 
How loath, how unwilling, do they turn away from Christ ! 
How loath are they to partake of the fruit of their ungodly 
doings ! Christ must say, Depart once, and depart twice, 
before they will depart. When he hath shut the door upon 
them, yet they knock, and cry, u Lord, open unto us I" 
When he hath given them their answer, " that he knows 
them not," yet they plead and mourn. Wherefore he is fain 
to answer again, " I tell you, I know you not whence you 
are : Depart I" 

" Depart :" this word, depart ! How dreadful is it ! 
With what weight will it fall on the head of every con- 
demned sinner ! For you must "note, that while the ungodly 

35 



410 THE RESURRECTIONOE THE DEAD. 

stand thus before the Judge, they cannot choose but have a 
most famous view, both of the kingdom of heaven, and of 
the damned wights in hell. Now they see the G-od of 
glory, the King of glory, the saints of glory, and the an- 
gels of glory, and the kingdom in which they have their 
eternal abode. Now they also begin to see the worth of 
Christ, and what it is to be smiled upon by him; from all 
which they must depart. And, as I say, they shall have 
the view of this, so they will most famously behold the pit, 
the bottomless pit; the tire, the brimstone, and the flaming 
beds, that justice hath prepared for them of old. Their 
associates also will be very conspicuous and clear before 
their watery eyes. They will see now, what and which are 
devils, and who are damned souls. Now their great-grand- 
father Cain, and all his brood, with Judas and all his com- 
panions, must be their fellow-sighers in the flames and 
pangs for ever. heavy day ! heavy word ! 

This word, " depart," therefore, looketh two ways, and 
commands the damned to do so too : ( Depart from heaven, 
depart to hell; depart from life, depart to death/ " Depart 
from me." Now the ladder doth turn from under them 
indeed. The Saviour turns them off; the Saviour throws 
them down. The Father hath given him authority to exe- 
cute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. "Depart 
from me." I would come to have done you good; but then 
you would not : now then, though you would have it ever 
so willingly, yet you shall not. 

" Depart from me, ye cursed." Ye forsaken and left of 
G-od, ye vessels of wrath, ye despisers of God and goodness, 
you now lie open to the stroke of justice for your sins. You 
must now have vengeance feed upon you ; for you did, when 
you were in the world, feed on sin, and treasure up wrath 
against this day of wrath,- and revelation of the righteous 
judgment of G-od. 

"Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire." Fire is that 



THE ETERNAL JUDGMENT. 411 

which of all things is the most insufferable and insupporta- 
ble. Wherefore by fire is showed the grievous state of the 
ungodly, after judgment. Who can eat fire ? drink fire ? 
and lie down in the midst of flames of fire ? Yet this must 
the wicked do. Again, not only fire, but everlasting fire. 
Behold how great a fire a little matter kindleth. A little 
sin, a little pleasure, a little unjust dealing and doing; what 
preparation is made for the punishment thereof! And hence 
it is, that the fire into which the damned fall, is called the 
lake or sea of fire. "And whosoever," saith John, "was 
not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake 
of fire." Little did the sinner seriously think, that when 
he was sinning against G-od, he was making such provision 
for his poor soul. But now it is too late to repent. His 
worm must never die, and his fire shall never be quenched. 
Though the time in which men commit sin is short, yet the 
time of G-od's punishing them for their sin is long. 

"Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, pre- 
pared for the devil and Ms angels." In that he saith, 
"prepared for the devil and his angels," he insinuates a 
further conviction upon the consciences of the damned. As 
if he had said, ' As for this fire and lake that you must go 
to, though you thought but little of it, because you were 
careless, yet I did betimes put you in mind of what would 
be the fruits of sin, even by preparing this judgment for 
the devil and his angels. The devil in his creation is far 
more noble than you; yet when he sinned, I spared him 
not. He sinned also before man; and I, upon his sinning, 
did cast him down from heaven to hell, and did hang the 
chains of everlasting darkness upon him; which might, yea, 
ought, to have been a fair item to you to take heed, but 
you would not. Wherefore, seeing you have sinned as he 
hath done, and that, too, after he had both sinned, and was 
bound over to eternal punishment, the same justice that lay- 
eth hold on these more noble creatures, must surely seize 



412 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

on you.' The world should be convinced of judgmont then, 
because the prince of the world is judged. And that, be- 
fore they came to this condition of hearing the eternal sen- 
tence rattle in their ears; but seeing they did not regard it 
then, they must, and shall, feel the smart of it now. "De- 
part from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for 
the devil and his angels." 

G-od would have men learn both what mercy is and jus- 
tice is to them, by his showing it to others; but if they be 
sottish and careless in the day of forbearance, they must 
learn by smarting in the day of rebuke and vengeance. 
Thus it was with the old world. God gave them one hun- 
dred and twenty years warning by the preparation of Noah, 
for the flood that should come. But forasmuch as they then 
were careless, and would not consider the works of the Lord, 
nor his threatening them, by this preparation, therefore he 
brought in the flood upon the world of the ungodly, as he 
doth here the last judgment upon the workers of iniquity, 
and sweeps them all away in their wilful ignorance. 

Wherefore I say, the Lord Chief Judge, by these words, 
"prepared for the devil and his angels," doth as good as 
say, ( This fire into which I now send you, did of itself, 
even in the preparation of it, had you considered it, fore- 
warn you of this that is now come upon you. Hell-fire is 
no new or unheard of thing. You cannot now plead, that 
you heard not of it in the world, neither could you with any 
reason judge, that seeing I prepared it for angels— for no- 
ble, powerful, and mighty angels — that you, poor dust and 
ashes, should escape the vengeance. "Depart from me, ye 
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his 
angels." 

The sentence being thus passed, it remains now, the work 
being done, that every one go to his eternal station. Where- 
fore, forthwith this mighty company do now, with heavy heart, 
retire again from before the judgment-seat: and that full 



THE ETERNAL JUDGMENT. 413 

hastily, God knoweth; for their proper centre is in the hell 
of hell; into which they descend like a stone into a well, or 
like Pharaoh into the bottom of the Red Sea. For all hope 
being now taken from them, they must needs fall with vio- 
lence into the jaws of eternal desperation, which will deal 
far worse with the souls of men, and make a greater slaughter 
in their tortured consciences, than the lions in the den 
with Daniel could possibly do with the men that were cast 
in among them. 

This is that which Paul calleth " eternal judgment," be- 
cause it is that which is last and final. Many are the judg- 
ments that God doth execute among the sons of men, some 
after this manner and some after that; divers of which con- 
tinue but for a while, and none of them are eternal. No, 
the very devils and damned spirits in hell, though theirs is 
the longest and most terrible of all the judgments of G-od 
yet on foot, yet I say, they must pass under another judg- 
ment, even this last, great, and final judgment. "The 
angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own 
habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains, under 
darkness, unto the judgment of the great day." And so 
also it is with the damned soul. For both Sodom and Go- 
morrah, with all the other, though already in hell in their 
souls, yet they must (as I have before showed) all arise to 
this judgment, which will be their final judgment. Others 
of the judgments of God, as they have an end, so the end 
of many of them proves the profit of those on whom they are 
inflicted; being, I say, God's instruments of conversion to 
sinners; and so may fitly be compared to those petty judg- 
ments among men, as putting in the stocks, whipping, or 
burning in the hand: which punishments and judgments, 
do often prove profitable to those that are punished with 
them. But eternal judgment is like those more severe 
judgments among men, as beheading, shooting to death, 
hanging, drawing and quartering; which swoop all, even 

35* 



414 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

health, time, and the like, and cut off all opportunity of 
good, leaving no place for mercy or amendment. " These 
shall go away into everlasting punishment." This word, 
" depart," &c, is the last word the damned for ever are 
like to hear. I say, it is the last voice, and therefore will 
stick longest, and with most power, on their slaughtered 
souls. There is no calling of it back again; it is the very 
wind up of eternal judgment. 



CHAPTER XII. 



THE ETERNAL FUTURE. 



Thus, then, the judgment being over, the mediatorial 
kingdom ceaseth to be any longer in the hand of the man 
Christ Jesus. For as the judges here among men, when 
they have gone their circuit, do deliver up their commission 
to the king ; so Christ the Judge doth now deliver up his 
kingdom to his Father. And now all is swallowed up of 
eternity. The damned are swallowed up of eternal justice 
and wrath; the saved, of eternal life and felicity; and the 
Son also delivereth up, I say, the kingdom to the Father, 
and as man is subject himself under him, that did put all 
things under him, that Grod may be all in all. 

For now is the end come, and not before, even the end 
of the reign of death itself; for death, and hell, and sinners, 
and devils, must now go together into the lake that burns 
with fire and brimstone. And now is the end of Christ's 
reign, as the Son of man, and the end of the reign of the 
saints with him in this his kingdom, which he hath received 
of his Father, for his work's sake, which he did for him, and 
for his elect. " Then cometh the end," saith Paul, " when 
he shall have delivered up the kingdom to Grod, even the 
Father." But when shall that be? Why, he answers 
saying, "When he shall have put down all rule, and all 
authority and power. For he must reign until he hath put 
all enemies under his feet" (which will not be until the final 
sentence and judgment be over); "For the last enemy that 
shall be destroyed, is death. For Grod hath put all things 
under his feet. But when he saith, All things are put under 
him ; it is manifest he is excepted which did put all things 

(415) 



416 THE RESURRECTION OE THE DEAD. 

under hint. And when all things shall be subdued unto 
him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him, 
that put all things under him, that G-od may be all in all." 

All things being now at this pass, namely, every one being 
in his proper place ; Grod in his, Christ in his, the saint in 
his, and the sinner in his ; I shall conclude with this brief 
touch upon both the state of the good and bad after this 
eternal judgment. 

1. The righteous now shall never fear death, the devil, 
and hell more : and the wicked shall never hope for life. 

2. The just shall ever have the victory over these things; 
but the wicked shall everlastingly be swallowed up of them. 

3. The holy shall be in everlasting light, but the sinner 
in everlasting darkness. Without light, I say, yet in fire ; 
ever burning, yet not consumed; always afraid of death and 
hell; vehemently desiring to be annihilated to nothing; con- 
tinually fearing to stay long in hell, and yet certainly sure 
they shall never come out of it; ever desiring the saints' 
happiness, and yet always envying their felicity; they would 
have it because it is easy and comfortable ; yet cannot abide 
to think of it, because they have lost it for ever. Ever 
loaded with the delight of sin ; and yet that is the greatest 
torture ; always desiring to put it out of their mind ; and yet 
assuredly knowing they must for ever abide under the guilt 
and torment thereof. 

4. The saints are always inflamed with the consideration 
of the grace that once they embraced ; but the wicked most 
flamingly tormented with the thoughts of their once reject- 
ing and refusing it 

5. The just, when they think of their sins, are comforted 
with the thoughts of their being delivered from them ; but 
the ungodly, when they think of their righteousness, will 
gnaw themselves, to think that this would not deliver them 
from hell. 

6. When the godly think of hell, it will increase their 



THE ETERNAL STATE. 417 

comfort; but when the wicked think of heaven, it will 
twinge them like a serpent. Oh, this eternal judgment ! 
What would a damned soul give, that there might be, 
though after thousands and hundreds of thousands of mil- 
lions of years, an end put to this eternal judgment. But 
their misery is, they have sinned against a G-od that is eter- 
nal; they have offended that justice that will never be satis- 
fied; and therefore they must abide the fire that never shall 
be quenched. Here is judgment, just and sad. 

Again, As it will be thus with good and bad in general; 
so again more particularly, when the wicked are thus ad- 
judged and condemned, and also received of the fiery gulf, 
then they shall find, that as he that busieth himself to do 
good, shall have more glory than others ; so they that have 
been more busy and active in sin than others shall have 
more wrath and torment than others. For as doing good 
abundantly doth enlarge the heart to receive and hold more 
glory; so doing evil abundantly doth enlarge the heart and 
soul to receive punishment so much the more. And hence 
it is that you have such sayings as these: "It shall be more 
tolerable in the judgment for Sodom than for others ;" that 
is, than for those that had sinned against much greater light 
and mercy : for these, as he saith in another place, " shall 
receive greater damnation." Yea, it standeth to reason, that 
he who hath most light, most conviction, most means of 
conversion, and that was highest towards heaven, must needs 
have the greatest fall, and so sink deepest into the jaws of 
eternal misery. As one star, that is, one saint, differeth 
from another in heaven, so one damned soul shall differ from 
another in hell. It is so among the devils themselves : there 
are some worse than others : Beelzebub is the prince, or the 
chief of the devils ; that is, one that was most glorious in 
heaven, chief among the reprobate angels before his fall; and 
therefore sinned against the greater light, mercy, and good- 
ness, and so became the chief for wickedness, and will also 



418 THE RESURRECTION OE THE DEAD. 

have, as the wages thereof, the chief of torments. For that 
will he true of the damned of hell which is prayed for against 
Babylon: "How much she hath glorified herself, and lived 
deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her." Can it 
he imagined, that Judas should not have more torment, who 
betrayed the Prince of life and Saviour of the world, than 
others who never came near his wickedness by ten thousand 
degrees ? " He that knew his master's will, and prepared 
not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten 
with many stripes," — with many more stripes than others, 
that through ignorance did commit sin worthy of stripes. 

But why should I thus discourse of the degrees of the tor- 
ments of the damned souls in hell? for he that suffers least, 
will have the waters of a full cup wrung out to him. The 
least measure of wrath will be the wrath of G-od ; eternal 
and fiery wrath, insupportable wrath; it will lay the soul in 
the gulf of that second death, which will for ever have the 
mastery over the poor sinking, perishing sinner. "And 
death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the 
second death. And whosoever was not found written in the 
book of life, was cast into the lake of fire." 



THE END. 



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